The fisheries union is claiming that the former provincial fisheries minister supported reopening the commercial cod fishery and giving offshore draggers access to the stock.
The federal minister recently reopened the fishery after 32 years of closure, but instead of reserving agreed-upon access for inshore and Indigenous harvesters, a percentage of the stock was allocated to the offshore sector, including NAFO nations and their draggers.
The FFAW objected, and has taken Ottawa to court, with the case expected be heard next month.
But documents submitted in preparation for the case are being made available during the discovery stage.
FFAW President Greg Pretty says among the documents is a letter sent to the federal fisheries minister by then-provincial minister Elvis Loveless.
“We received a copy of the letter … stating that the province supported withdrawing the historical agreement made to our province over 40 years ago and permitting offshore draggers back on the northern cod stock,” says Pretty.
“Our union was very surprised to see this information, given the province’s public support for reversing the decision made earlier this year in a letter from Premier Andrew Furey on July 3rd, and in subsequent discussions since.”
In the Loveless letter, dated Oct. 5, 2023, Pretty says the minister lobbied on behalf of offshore companies to break the historic agreement and re-allow draggers to take part in the fishery.
“While we are pleased that inshore harvesters and Indigenous groups receive an allocation, it is important to our province that our offshore fleet is also allocated a quota for northern cod,” Loveless is quoted as saying in the letter.
Pretty says the position from Loveless is contrary to public statements made by Furey and current Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne since the June decision. The provincial government has since acknowledged that the decision for a commercial northern cod fishery “is an affront to inshore fish harvesters, plant workers, and the hundreds of communities who were guaranteed access to a recovered northern cod stock,” says Pretty.
“We understand that the premier has brought concern for the offshore allocations directly to the Prime Minister and federal minister,” he said.
“However, that doesn’t balance the disappointment felt by the thousands of inshore fish harvesters and plant workers that we represent. We look forward to the province publicly retracting the position that former minister Loveless advocated for in 2023.”
Reports to date suggest the federal minister’s decision was driven by politics, not science, while most, including the FFAW, attribute the demise of the fishery to the larger boats.
The decision to reopen the commercial fishery to offshore draggers came despite scientists’ assertion that the stock is still in the “cautious” zone.