The provincial government is reviewing the 20 recommendations made following a review of the province’s Fishing Industry Collective Bargaining Model.

David Conway was asked to review the fish price setting process outlined in legislation – a process many in the fishing industry have called “broken.”

The fish price setting panel relies on final offer selection, which led to a chaotic summer fishery. The process selects the price offered by either harvesters or processors, with no middle ground if there is a gap between the two offers.

Conway is recommending that final offer selection be maintained, but that the Panel be permitted, at its discretion, to reject both final offers and require the parties to continue bargaining for a limited time. The Panel should also be able to impose a final price based on a joint final offer request from both parties.

The FFAW calls the report and its recommendations “a step in the right direction” and is pleased to see increased engagement from the provincial government on addressing some “key challenges” in the inshore fishery.

The Association of Seafood Producers says the review is a “good start” but says more work needs to be done in terms of reviewing the entire collective bargaining regime and not just the Panel process.

The full report can be found here.