The Newfoundland/Labrador crab fishermen’s strike is over and as of May 20, boats were heading out to sea. In their vote, however, the fishermen made it clear that they will not accept the production quota system laid down by provincial Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Trevor Taylor.
Approximately 4,600 fishermen voted 73.6 percent to go fishing and to fight any further attempt to implement production quotas. The fishermen voted in 30 ratification meetings held throughout the province during May 18-19. Roughly 25 percent of the fishermen voted to continue to tie up and 1 percent voted in favor of production quotas.
“We’re going fishing, but we’re still fighting quotas,” said Earle McCurdy, president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers. “The message is that it doesn’t make any sense to continue the quotas.”
McCurdy says an agreement reached with the processors keeps the market price at last year’s level. “We sweetened the pot last year, so this is a good deal.”
He added that a turning point for the fishermen going back to work was Taylor’s appointment of Richard Cashin – who retired as FFAW president in 1993 – to provide an independent assessment of the pilot project.
For his part Taylor said, “We’re certainly glad to see that harvesters have voted to start fishing,” but added that he was concerned about the “challenges the industry still faces, including adjusting to a less valuable crab fishery that is being felt throughout Atlantic Canada.”