Fish harvesters should be better consulted about new oil exploration areas: union

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers’ (Ffaw-unifor) union is calling on the Canada-newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) to withdraw the call for nominations announced this week in offshore oil exploration areas to allow for consultations with affected fish harvesters, as well as to cease exploration in areas designated as marine refuges.

The C-NLOPB, under its scheduled land tenure system, has issued a call for nominations in the eastern Newfoundland region and in the Jeanne d’arc Region.

The regulator states the call for nominations will assist it in selecting parcels to be included in subsequent 2020 calls for bids which will close in November 2020, pending board approval and ratification by the federal and provincial governments.

Any successful bidders would be awarded licences in early 2021.

The Ffaw-unifor says its members were not consulted on the new exploration area now up for nominations.

“We have significant concerns surrounding how this will impact fish harvesters, particularly those that participate in the snow crab fishery,” Ffaw-unifor President Keith Sullivan said in a news release.

“Fish harvesters, who have already given up considerable fishing grounds in the name of conservation, will now potentially give up more valuable crab grounds for oil and gas.”

The release states that in 2017, the federal government announced several new marine refuges that restrict all fishing activity while oil and gas operations continue unhampered.

Since this time, Ffaw-unifor says it has repeatedly raised concerns over the conservation goals of such marine closures.

“Fish harvesters are understandably frustrated at the double standard that continues to persist within a refuge that is closed to fishing,” Sullivan said.

The release further states that oil and gas activities have far reaching impacts on the fishing industry. Loss of access to fishing grounds, an increase in steaming times, gear damage, navigational challenges and safety concerns with increased vessel traffic, iceberg deflection operations, concerns regarding seismic activity on fish species and fishing grounds, as well as the risks of oil spills and environmental contamination.

The union said it is therefore essential that fish harvesters be consulted prior to the bid process commencing.

“This new area up for bids takes up a substantial portion of our prime crab fishing grounds in 3L, after we’ve already been pushed out of other areas for both oil and gas and environmental protections,” said Nelson Bussey, fish harvester and Ffaw-unifor executive board member.

“Companies wanting to expand operations in our province should be required to consult with affected stakeholders before offering up the areas we depend on for our livelihoods.”

“We have significant concerns surrounding how this will impact fish harvesters, particularly those that participate in the snow crab fishery.” Ffaw-unifor President Keith Sullivan