FISH-NL is asking the Federal Competition Bureau to investigate an allegation of collusion involving fish processing companies on the Northern Peninsula.

Roland Genge sold his northern shrimp in past years to QuinSea Fisheries, but recently decided to change buyers and sell to the Corner Brook-based Barry Group.

The going rate for Gulf shrimp is $1.82 per pound, but processing companies have been paying a bonus on top of that. FISH-NL president, Ryan Cleary, says QuinSea Fisheries has been paying an extra 20 cents a pound while the Barry Group has been paying 45 cents more.

Genge chose to sell to Barry for the extra 25 cents, however when he tied up at the Battery wharf Thursday in Port Saunders with 37,000 pounds of shrimp aboard his fishing boat, Cleary says he was told by a Barry’s representative that they were no longer interested in buying his shrimp.

The company did eventually unload the product, but Genge says it was trucked to QuinSea’s plant in Old Perlican. Barry owns a shrimp operation in Anchor Point on the Northern Peninsula.

Genge has no idea how much he will be paid for his shrimp and questions whether he’s being targeted for wishing to change buyers.

Other harvesters who landed their shrimp Thursday at the Barry wharf had no trouble, and were reportedly paid the 45 cent-per-pound bonus.