Fishery protests 'embarrassing for the province', says head of producers' association

The head of the association that represents seafood producers in Newfoundland and Labrador says protests this week at Confederation Building send the wrong message to the marketplace.

Fish harvesters gathered in protest at Confederation Building from Wednesday to Friday this week, calling on the provincial government to change capacity limits for harvesters and allow them to sell their catch to out-of-province buyers. A deal accepting those demandswas reached Friday afternoon.

Speaking with CBC News on Friday beforethe deal was announced, Jeff Loder of the Association of Seafood Producers said he didn't like how all parties got to this point.

"Personally, I found it embarrassing for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. That type of signal that we're sending to the markets, that that's the level of stability and co-operation we have as the major industry partners, is really unfortunate,"Loder said Friday.

"If that continues in that way, we won't be able to take advantage of the true value we have from our fishery."

Loder saidthe association adamantly opposesincreasing capacity limits and adding more processing licences. He had hoped the provincial government wouldn't bereactive, and said he didn't believe increasing capacity was necessary.

"Free enterprise does not mean you get to do whatever you want, whenever you want. Businesses, in this case processors in this province, need to have some stability and need to be able to focus on extending employment throughout the year," he said.

"[Last year] plants were in a position that they had to process 10 million pounds a week for eight weeks. A normal year is one or two weeks. There is excess capacity in this province."

Loder said increasing capacity also has ramifications the province should have taken time to consider rather than concedeto harvesters' demands.

"There is, you know, a lot at stake for individual harvesters and processing companies. And most importantly from our perspective at this point, plant workers. Plant workers need as much hours as they can get to meet the new EI requirements.And if there is increases in capacity, that could potentially impact that."

WATCH | Harvesters are working the the start of the season to their advantage, says Jeff Loder:

Fish harvesters took advantage of season start to demand changes: ASP director

8 months ago

Duration 0:25

Jeff Loder of the Association of Seafood Producers says he doesnt believe the timing of the clashes with police and protests by hundreds of fish harvesters was a coincidence. He points to last years tie-up of boats by fishermen during the snow crab fishery that lasted weeks.

Lodersaid he believes many in the industry use the start of an upcoming season as a chance to get more of what they want by taking advantage of the price negotiation process.

"Last year it was a quota increase, and now there's a call for, you know, more competition, when there's more competition in our industry than there is in most other fishing industries."

Shortly after the deal was announced, Loder saidthe group is still working to understand specific details andwill be focusing their attention on meetings with the snow crab price-setting panel next week. Talks between the ASP and the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union broke down this week during the protests.

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