Time to rethink food security

A recent article in the New York Times suggests that starvation worldwide many result from the current pandemic.

It shows countries need to think about food security.

They need to act now and not wait till starvation is upon them.

Because of the pandemic, a full fishery this year in Newfoundland and Labrador is probably not wise.

It would be best to focus on components of the fishery that can be conducted from small boats containing just one or two fishers.

An example would be an old style trawl-line cod fishery.

This year caplin should be stockpiled for food. It should not be caught just for roe. It could be shipped worldwide.

To maintain social distancing, boats could approach a wharf just a few at a time.

If a simple testing method is developed, fishers could be tested at the wharf. To avoid overcrowding in plants, just a few workers must be able to process the amount of fish caught.

So the quota would be based partly on what can be safely processed.

One of the most high-protein meats is seal meat. Some from away say it tastes like goat meat.

Apparently, goat meat is a very popular meat worldwide, especially in developing countries. This seems like an ideal time for a seal cull, especially after the outbreaks of virus in meat processing plants.

Again, it could be conducted from small boats containing just one or two fishers.

Because of the pandemic, there should be plenty of unused cold storage space where this meat could be stored.

Seal carcass could be flash frozen and then cut into chunks with a band saw. It could be shipped worldwide. It might be worth doing something similar with moose. Hunters could be hired to cull the moose herd.

Since fisheries are controlled by the federal government, initiatives like those proposed above would have to be funded by the federal government, as a food security measure, for all of Canada.

It would pay the fishers and the plant workers and cover the cost of processing and cold storage.

Similar initiatives could be developed by each of the other provinces and territories and First Nations.

Mike Hinchey

St. John’s