Fish processors want you to stop killing their cod
I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about this week. I was thinking about doing a story on foul weather gear. I may have hinted in that direction last Saturday. I will get to that eventually, but while listening to the VOCM news as I was driving along on the Veteran’s Highway this afternoon my blood started steaming a little.
The Association of Seafood Producers has recommended to DFO that the Food Fishery, or Recreational Cod Fishery as I prefer, be discontinued, ended, no more cod angling for us ordinary folk. Their rational is that cod stocks have continued to decline in spite of DFO’S conservation policies. The stocks are in no better shape today than they were 20 years ago when the cod moratorium was first imposed. At least this is what Derek Butler said on behalf of the Association of Seafood Producers. He also added that DFO has no idea how many cod are killed in the recreational fishery.
Let’s take a look at who this Association of Seafood Producers represents. I had a quick look at their website. They are a not-for-profit corporation, which represents the interests of seafood producers generally in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I’m not sure why generally is used, but I’m assuming it means there is involvement outside this province. Their members own and operate around 65 seafood-processing
plants. They control 95 per cent of the inshore shrimp production and 85 per cent plus of crab production and almost half of all cod production in Newfoundland and Labrador. Member sales are around $600 million. They are telling us that we should not carry out limited subsistence fishing for cod.
Let us sit back and absorb this, take it all in, as we say here in Newfoundland. This organization representing commercial fish processors, who kill cod for profit, do not want to cut their own quotas, but rather begrudge us catching cod by hook and line for our tables. There is something severely wrong and
backwards about this logic. I think that if too many cod are being killed, then commercial quotas should be cut as well, maybe first, many might say.
Imagine this. We have a healthy population of rabbits here in Newfoundland and Labrador, snowshoe hare to be more precise. Maybe 20 of us should form an association. We will set up rabbit processing plants. We will convince government to ban the recreational and subsistence harvesting of rabbits. Only those with commercial permits may harvest our bunnies. We will purchase the rabbits and process them into bunny blocks to sell to foreign countries for profit. Of course, we will sell some to local supermarkets so that the ordinary folks can still buy a meal of rabbit. Isn’t this ridiculous? So is banning a food fishery for cod while maintaining a commercial harvest.
Here in Newfoundland and Labrador we seem to have accepted having a commercial harvest before subsistence. I think we have kind of justified it in our heads without really thinking seriously about the rational. Why would commercial interests take precedence over personal use? The blueberries, trout, cod, rabbits, halibut, and moose belong to us all in commune. It is time we set the record straight on this. Don’t let our culture and rights get trampled by non-profit organizations that represent businesses and individuals that are all about profit. We still out vote them, and that is what really matters.
All this is not to say that conservation does not come first. If need be, for the sake of conservation, I will give up cod fishing until stocks rebound. I will forgo salting my cod for winter, no more cod chowder or stew. But I will only accept this if the commercial harvest also stops. We must vow to vote against any politician who will not put our rights as citizens above commercial interests. That is the only language that the final decision makers, elected ministers of the crown, clearly understand.
Derek. Butler says that DFO has no idea how many cod get taken in the recreational fishery. I don’t think this is the case, but I will find out soon. I’ll be making some phone calls to DFO. I’m sure they have a figure for the food fishery within some degree of uncertainty. Scientists claim to know how many caplin are eaten by seals. Surely they have some idea how many cod we humans catch. It isn’t rocket science. Take the number of anglers times daily catch times number of days, you get the math picture. They don’t know precisely how many boats and so on, but they have rough ideas. And we could easily put systems and mechanisms in place by which we could have really solid figures and data. Let’s talk about it.
Sorry if I seem a bit riled up this week. It is a sore spot with me that this news article really rubbed salt into. Think about this. In British Columbia and Alaska anglers can fish for halibut. Regular citizens are permitted to set a small number of crab pots. In Florida there is a season for recreational lobster fishing. Many folks snorkel for them. I’m thinking of trying it myself. Are we allowed these privileges? No. I’d love to rod angle for halibut and make more use of my boat. Let’s not give up our privilege to catch cod as long as we abide by conservation principles.
One more thing — in case I don’t talk cod anymore before the season opens, obey the laws set out by DFO. We are our own worst enemies sometimes. Do not abuse quotas or otherwise deceive our communal right to a sustainable harvest for our tables. Such violations will only give virtue to voices that want the food fishery or recreational harvest ended. And don’t hesitate to make a noise about this.
To those who own fish plants and process cod, you do not own this resource. I think you should lobby for an end to gill net fishing.
If need be, for the sake of conservation, I will give up cod fishing until stocks rebound. I will forgo salting my cod for winter, no more cod chowder or stew. But I will only accept this if the commercial harvest also stops.