The fisheries union is calling for an immediate halt to oil and gas developments that intrude on valuable crab fishing grounds.
The C-NLOPB released a new call last week for two offshore oil and gas exploration areas with another lying within a marine refuge closed to all fishing activity.
President Keith Sullivan says they are calling for an immediate halt to new oil and gas developments that encroach on valuable crab fishing grounds.
He says time and time again, oil and gas is put ahead of the fishery. @VOCMNEWS #nlpoli pic.twitter.com/UA0KtUQ8Xv
— Ben Murphy VOCM (@BenMurphyVOCM) September 5, 2019
FFAW President Keith Sullivan says time and time again, oil and gas has been put ahead of the fishery.
He says no one was consulted on the exploration areas now up for nominations. They have concerns about how it will impact harvesters, especially those in the snow crab fishery.
Sullivan says this could take millions of dollars in revenue away from the crab fishery and rural communities which need it most.
Harvester Nelson Bussey says the region is the most lucrative crab fishing area in 3L. It hasn’t seen any cuts in recent years and they won’t allow it to be taken from them. He says they’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means going out in their vessels and blocking the area.
The union is also calling for a joint meeting involving harvesters, Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady and the C-NLOPB.
Andrew Daley says the proposed areas are prime fishing grounds and they won’t just be pushed off them and they can’t have oil rigs in there.
“We’ll do whatever we got to do to prevent this.”@VOCMNEWS #nlpoli pic.twitter.com/aF5gNVRCYw
— Ben Murphy VOCM (@BenMurphyVOCM) September 5, 2019
