The FFAW has launched a petition and campaign calling on fisheries Minister Joyce Murray to reopen the Atlantic mackerel fishery.

The union says that what DFO has said about mackerel stocks in the province’s waters goes against what their members are seeing.

They say that over the last 10 years they have seen distribution and sizes of mackerel that should be impossible if DFO’s assessment is correct.

Through their review of the observations of 185 harvesters via a survey, the union says there is consistency in mackerel sightings, which can not be dismissed as anecdotal information.

They will be bringing their findings to Minister Murray at the Atlantic Mackerel Advisory Committee meeting taking place this week in Halifax, where the future of the stock will be decided.