The year-round harvesters are generally pleased with the amount of redfish allocated to them. For the first time in decades, Ottawa is opening the redfish fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Most of the quota was given to the larger boats, or what’s referred to as the offshore sector. The inshore boats, which do not fish year-round, received what the FFAW refers to as a miniscule amount of redfish.
The Atlantic Groundfish Council says their sector lost 20 per cent of their historical share in the decision. Generally though, they praise DFO for resisting more drastic change in the total allowable catch.
(FFAW secretary-treasurer Jason Spingle.)
The shrimp biomass is declining significantly, and FFAW Secretary-Treasurer Jason Spingle fully expected DFO to give shrimpers access to a meaningful allocation of redfish.
The shrimp quota is down to 3,000 tonnes, says Spingle, who predicts that some shrimpers will go bankrupt without meaningful access to the redfish stock.
The Atlantic Groundfish Council says their members have invested more than $100 million in vessels and equipment in preparation for the reopening of a commercial redfish fishery. The companies say in order to promote Canadian redfish in Europe and Asia, there will have to be broad basket of products including shore-processed fresh and “once-frozen” fillets, as well as frozen-at-sea for markets that prefer that product.
