Crab harvesters accuse company of giving them cold shoulder
Allegations not accurate, says Royal Greenland’s NL boss
In a crab fishing season that has been contentious from the start, allegations continue to be levelled by Newfoundland and Labrador fish harvesters against processing companies.
The latest accusation is against Royal Greenland, the Danish-owned company that owns three processing plants in the province.
A handful of harvesters took to social media in recent days, posting on the Fishermen’s Forum Facebook Page, that Royal Greenland has been refusing to buy crab from some boats in the under 40 ft fleet.
Ryan Cleary, executive director of Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEANL) went a step further, issuing a press release on May 29 saying Quinsea/royal Greenland in Old Perlican “has refused to buy from possibly hundreds of boats in the under 40 feet until as late as June 11.”
Meanwhile, said Clearly, the bigger boats in the over 40 ft fleet that sell to Royal Greenland “are reportedly load and go.”
NOT ACCURATE
However, Simon Jarding, manager of Royal Greenland operations in Newfoundland and Labrador, says those allegations are not accurate.
In an email statement to Saltwire, Jarding said over the weekend they processed catches from several inshore boats from the less than 40 fleet at its facility in Old Perlican.
The crab was “great quality” he added.
Jarding said the company doesn’t blame others for not knowing that since “it would be impossible to know what boats are landing to what company. We respect that some (harvesters) may be frustrated.
“It is OK for organizations to be frustrated over the late season start – we have been frustrated too – but we now focus on getting the best out of the situation,” said Jarding. “We will look after all the people that work with us and all the fishermen that supply us – from small inshore boats to larger boats as well as our employees in the plants that have anxiously been waiting for work.”
He added the company is committed to the local regions of the province, noting even while the crab standoff stalled work at most plants, Royal Greenland was able to employ over 200 people during that time, processing other species for the past two months.
“We have been operating our two lobster facilities while other (processors) are sending lobster out of the region – in an effort to focus on creating value in Newfoundland region rather than flipping work outside of the province.”
He added all those lobsters are caught by small, inshore boats.
Jarding said the company respects the fish harvesters as well as its plant workers, and the truck drivers they rely on to ship product.
CHALLENGED BY DELAY
Jarding also noted the six-week delay in the of the fishing season did create some challenges.
“We need co-operation and understanding from all parties that it takes a truck driver, a plant worker and a fisherman – and it will be impossible to land the entire quota in one day – we all know that,” he said.
That’s why the ASP and FFAW agreed to fishing schedules and trip limits, he said, to preserve the quality and value of the catch.
“For Royal Greenland or any operator to expand production capacity it would require access to more people … or we are forced to ask the ones we have to work beyond reasonable work hours.”
The other challenge, he said, is many of the company’s employees decided to look for work elsewhere when the crab fishery did not start in April.
“We respect the fishermen as much as we respect everyone in the plants, as well as the truck drivers, that we now all rely on, to ship product off the island. We thank everyone for their patience – but now the focus is on working together.”
HINTS OF PROTEST
Meanwhile, there are indications that some crab harvesters may be planning a protest on May 31 at one of Royal Greenland’s properties.
Shawn Parsons posted on the Fishermen’s Forum Facebook page Tuesday that “with the support of the FFAW’S staff, we will be organizing a protest as to why the inshore under 40 fleet are not being able to sell crab.”
Details of the location of the protest were not made public.
Officials of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union could not be reached for comment by deadline Tuesday.