The union which represents harvesters and plant workers in the fishery is asking the federal government to exclude groups which it sees as having radical views from the advisory tables.

The FFAW says Oceana Canada is using outdated data on the capelin and mackerel fisheries and painting a distorted picture of the stock.

That group consistently lobbies for reduced commercial fishing activity to the point where the union says it’s seeking to shut down fisheries that are being sustainably managed.

The FFAW says harvesters with decades of experience on the water paint a very different picture than Oceana’s doomsday narrative. President Dwan Street says they remain opposed to the moratorium  and limited bait fishery for Atlantic mackerel.

Street says Oceana has no direct connection to the capelin or mackerel fisheries, has no licences, and is far removed from the realities of coastal Newfoundland and Labrador.

She wants DFO to prioritize science-based decision-making with input from those who live, work, and depend on the fishery.