Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre slammed the federal government yesterday, denouncing a proposed Marine Protected Area proposed by Parks Canada.
The South Coast Fjords National Marine Conservation Area will stretch along the coastline from McCallum to La Poile.
Harvesters and producers have been lobbying for the federal government to take another look at the decision.
Poilievre says the fishery needs to take a science-based approach and not a “radical extremist ideology of a Liberal government.”
“Bureaucracy has been propelled by this Liberal government to block harvesters from producing, and now the way that they are going about marine protected areas seems to be designed to shut down whole swaths of areas from harvesting.”
Newfoundlanders Show Support in Survey
Meanwhile a study commission by the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – or CPAWS – shows that a majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians asked support protecting marine habitats to sustain healthy fisheries.
Photo via Parks Canada
The poll, conducted by McAllister Opinion Research, shows “strong support” for the South Coast Fjords National Marine Conservation Area.
That’s despite concerns raised by area residents and those involved in the wild and farmed commercial fisheries.
The survey says that 86 per cent of those asked believed that protecting marine habitat is “essential” while 59 per cent of those asked province-wide say the proposed marine protected area is a good idea. Six per cent believe it is a bad idea.
Methodology: The survey was conduced between February 21st and March 5th, and was conducted using both random digital dial mobile phone and landline interviews as well as professional online panel recruitment across Newfoundland and Labrador.
