Downturn an opportunity for fishery

Few people who have ever lived in any southwest coast community would question the importance of the fishery to rural Newfoundland.

Despite multiple plant closures and harvesters leaving for jobs out west by the dozen, the industry is still the lifeblood of many communities and makes significant contributions in others.

It can be seen in the activity on government wharves, in workers still heading to their shifts at the nearest plant or small boats pulling out of the harbours throughout the region in search of their next catch.

Even in Port aux Basques, where the processing plant has closed and there are fewer boats than even a few years ago. While many people depend on health care, education or the ferry service for their incomes, the fishery is still important. It is still valued. It is still significant.

But so was the railway and everyone knows how that story ended.

The current world economic downturn didn't create all the issues inside the fishery; it only served to highlight a few of them.

A lot of it comes down to economics, supply and demand. When demand falls, prices fall. When there is more demand, prices rise. Processors can more easily make a reasonable profit while paying workers and harvesters reasonable amounts.

Marketing can help create demand. It makes one wonder why the industry turned down the province's offer of $5.4 million to start a seafood marketing council.

There are also moves in the international community to pressure consumers as well as major buyers like restaurant and hotels chains, to only buy seafood labeled as 'ocean-friendly.'

The Marine Stewardship Council, for one, promotes a "Fish Forever" label on ocean-friendly seafood.

The council decides what fisheries make the cut based on the condition of the fish stock, the impact of the fishery on the marine ecosystem and the fishery management systems. The assessment process can take more than a year, sometimes significantly more if key scientific information is missing.

If such movements gain momentum and Newfoundland's fisheries aren't onboard, it could spell even lower demand, and therefore lower prices, for seafood caught off our shores.

With the certification, Newfoundland seafood may even have a leg up on its global competition - something that couldn't hurt whether the world economy is up or down.

Local harvesters are already making moves that would help. They participate in a voluntary v-notching conservation program in the lobster fishery. Most use hook-and-line gear for cod, which provides higher quality fish to the plants.

The provincial government says it will help the industry to deal with its long-term challenges. Successful or not, at least the province has made efforts to try to do more to help the industry than fund annual make work projects to get employees through to their next EI claim.

The processing sector needs to step up as well. More than just rationalization, efforts around marketing and certification could be proactive steps in helping to secure a future for everyone.

The world economy will recover and seafood prices will rise again. Things may go back to the way they were before, but that would be a waste of an opportunity.

Without progress on some of these bigger issues, the fishery could end up just another piece of southwest coast history.

Natalie Musseau

editor@gulfnews.ca

see Downturn page 5