FFAW members turned a news conference with the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment on its head yesterday after they hijacked the event with a protest.

The event was just getting underway when the frustrated fish harvesters made their presence known.

The moderator was cut off from his introductory remarks with a loud siren-like noise blaring through a megaphone.

Protestors filed their way into the conference room, lead by harvester Glen Winslow and union president Greg Pretty.

Many were holding signs reading “save our cod,” “stop offshore draggers,” and “history repeated.”

They want the federal decision to have a commercial cod fishery this year, the first since the early 90s, reversed. Particularly, they are taking issue with offshore draggers having access to the stock, which they believe could be detrimental to its recovery.

Winslow took to the podium, making three demands of the federal government.

To have a meeting with the Prime Minister, to have the first 115,000 tonnes allocated for the inshore and Indigenous groups, and for a return to a stewardship fishery.

The news conference was then allowed to continue as scheduled, but when later questioned about what was said federal environment minister Steven Guilbeault wouldn’t offer any sort of an opinion.

He says fish quotas are the responsibility of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and he will be passing on the comments to the federal fisheries minister and the Prime Minister.

Provincial environment minister Bernard Davis says he understands the concerns of the FFAW and says the message sent yesterday will be conveyed to the decision-makers in Ottawa.

Meanwhile, environment ministers held what Davis called “cordial” discussions despite the very differing views on the federal carbon tax and ways to transition to a green economy.