Western Newfoundland fish harvesters worried about industry’s future
More than 100 harvesters gathered in Corner Brook in show of solidarity with their demonstrating colleagues in St. John’s
CORNER BROOK — Ernest Decker is 66 and has been fishing for 53 of those years.
The harvester from Rocky Harbour is ready to retire, but is concerned about the current state and the future of the inshore fishery in western Newfoundland.
He was among more than 100 harvesters from all over western Newfoundland who gathered at the Sir Richard Squires Building in Corner Brook on Thursday, March 21 to show their support for the ongoing demonstrations by fish harvesters in St. John’s.
Like those colleagues in St. John’s and other provincial government offices across the province, those who made the trek to Corner Brook want to see more free enterprise in the fishing industry.
Like many others along the west coast of the province, Decker’s main species to fish is lobster, though he does have small crab and halibut quotas too.
He gave his own personal example of what it’s like being at the whim of buyers under the current system. Last year, he said the union — Ffawunifor — had negotiated a price of $8.45 per pound for lobster.
Decker went out and caught lobster, assuming he knew how much he’d be getting paid for them.
However, when he went to sell them, the buyer refused to do so for that price. A week later, the buyer took the lobster from Decker for $7.26 per pound.
“That means lobster harvesters lost $1.19 on a pound of lobsters, which added up to be thousands of dollars for each harvester from St. Anthony right on down the coast,” said Decker. “We’re hoping there’s not going to be a repeat of that this year.
“That’s why fish harvesters are talking about outside buyers.”
HARD TO GET INTO
Experiences like that do not make getting into the fishery attractive for young harvesters.
Colby House of Daniel’s Harbour is 19 and has been trying to make a go of it in the fishery, like his father and grandfather before him, for the last two years.
House, who is also primarily a lobster harvester, said it’s already expensive enough trying to find his way into the industry. The uncertainty around being able to sell his product for an acceptable price in a timely manner is definitely concerning for him.
“If I’m just getting into fishing and a buyer tells me he’s not going to buy lobsters from me for a week or two weeks, that’s a lot of money gone out of my pocket by the time he starts buying,” he said. “It’s no secret the fishery is very expensive to get into and there’s not going to be a lot of young people doing it. If everybody is making it tougher and tougher to get into, eventually you’re going to push them all away from it.”
House, who was also part of the group of harvesters in Corner Brook on Thursday, hopes to see the changes harvesters and their union are demanding. At the top of the list is being able to sell their catch to whoever they can.
“I think we need more opportunities and more outside influence on buyers,” he said. “I don’t think there’s enough competition in the market for us.”
‘NO MASTER PLAN’
For Decker, the future of the fishery in western Newfoundland is not just about lobster, of which he says there are plenty.
He would like to see government address the need to rebuild groundfish stocks too.
“We have a number of fisheries that have collapsed or closed and there is no master plan in place for rebuilding these stocks,” said Decker. “So, where are we headed down the road? What are we going to do for the younger people coming through?”
There was a limited, twoweek commercial cod fishery off the west coast, but it was closed two years ago.
“We were only allowed 3,000 pounds a week,” said Decker. “If the stocks can’t withstand that, it’s in bad shape and I can only see it going down from here if things don’t change.”
A MATTER FOR ALL SPECIES
The ongoing demonstrations come as the scheduled start of the 2024 snow crab season nears.
Last year’s start date of April 10 saw crab harvesters, upset with the price they were offered, tie up their boats for six weeks in protest.
While there is still no agreed-upon price for snow crab for this year and no opening date or quotas announced, the protests go beyond concerns about the crab fishery.
Jeff Griffin, Ffaw-unifor’s member representative for 4R3PN, which covers the Northern Peninsula and southwest coast of Newfoundland, emphasized the call for changes are for all species and not just snow crab.
“This issue of not having free enterprise affects all species,” he said.
Thursday’s demonstration in Corner Brook was a peaceful one. Harvesters did not impede traffic or stop anyone from entering or leaving the provincial government building.
There was a small police presence, but the few officers there remained on the opposite side of the parking lot.
Griffin said, while the demonstration was a one-time show of solidarity with other harvesters, the members from the west coast may return to the provincial government building again.
“We’ll wait and see how things play out on the east coast and who knows, maybe we’ll be back,” he said.