News Release Archive
FISHERIES/AQUACULTURE--NORTHERN SHRIMP ALLOCATIONS
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Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Jim Barkhouse said he is
frustrated and deeply disappointed with the unfair treatment of
Nova Scotia by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO).
Responding to a recent federal announcement of quota increases
for northern shrimp, Mr. Barkhouse said that not only has Nova
Scotia been shut out of this opportunity but the decision could
jeopardize jobs at the shrimp processing plant based in Mulgrave.
"The Mulgrave plant shouldered major investments in the northern
shrimp fishery, which is a critical source of employment for an
area that has felt the hardships of the decline in groundfish
stocks."
He said Nova Scotia companies helped pioneer the northern shrimp
industry with their distant water fleet and since 1977
considerable effort and resources have been invested to make this
fishery successful.
"These companies, in association with others represented by the
Canadian Association of Prawn Producers, put forward a reasonable
sharing formula that was completely ignored in the decision."
Mr. Barkhouse said that industry and elected officials have
expressed their concern for the need to have additional access to
this resource. He pointed out that he made these concerns clear
to DFO, and stressed the importance of this resource to Nova
Scotian communities.
"I find it incredulous that DFO would allocate the entire surplus
quota to Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec ignoring the
request of our companies for a modest share of the increased
quota. As it now stands, these companies must compete with new
ventures that have been granted massive volumes of shrimp."
He said Nova Scotia does not oppose the principle of adjacency,
whereby people living close to a resource are given priority
access.
"We expected that Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec would
receive the lion's share of this new allocation, however, there
was room and good reason to share it with other provinces."
Mr. Barkhouse accused the federal department of inconsistency
with its decisions.
"DFO has continuously used a selective form of rationalization. A
shining example is access to the herring stock off eastern Cape
Breton, which has been given to New Brunswick while excluding
Nova Scotian fishermen. Where is the adjacency principle here?"
Nova Scotia leads all other provinces in the value of landed
fish. The industry has survived because of investment, hard work
and our fishing tradition. This type of unfair treatment
undermines efforts and destabilizes communities, and cannot be
tolerated, he said.
Mr. Barkhouse noted that science and industry agree that
additional shrimp can be safely harvested from the northern
resource. He is urging Federal Fisheries Minister Fred Mifflin to
reassess the options for 1997 and give fair consideration to Nova
Scotian interests.
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Contact: Greg Roach 902-424-0348
Diane Kenny 902-424-0308
jlw Apr. 24, 1997 5:10 p.m.
