The Association of Seafood Producers is focused on getting the season started in an orderly fashion now that a deal has finally been reached to get the delayed crab fishery underway.
A deal was announced late Friday after a six week impasse on the price set by the Fish Price Setting Panel. While the price hasn’t moved from the original $2.20 set, the markets have dropped even further, and a guarantee is in place that the price paid to harvesters won’t decline for the remainder of the fishing season.
ASP Executive Director Jeff Loder says the focus now is on getting the season started in an orderly manner.
They also need to ensure they’re back in the market with marketing efforts to promote NL’s quality product, “because there has been some impact” according to Loder. They also need to look at ways to improve the price setting process.
Loder says the premier committed to reviewing the process. If the price-setting process is going to work, he believes the panel’s decision will have to be binding on both parties.
“No system is perfect, and we should continually try to improve it,” says Loder, but adds “at the very heart of this issue, what occurred over the last six weeks, was one party not being prepared to accept the outcome of a process.”
FFAW President Greg Pretty
Meanwhile, the FFAW is thanking the premier for his involvement in bringing an end to the lengthy impasse between the union and processors.
In the end, the union “reluctantly” agreed to the $2.20 per pound set by the Fish Price Setting Panel earlier this year.
FFAW President Greg Pretty says the markets bottomed out leaving harvesters in a tough position. He expects there will be bankruptcies as a result.
There is a significant portion of this year’s fishery who may not make it says Pretty. The union will be meeting with officials in Ottawa to address the EI component of the issue.
