Any hope residents of the west and southwest portions of the island may have had to see the food fishery expanded to seven days a week this summer appears to have been dashed.

Members of the House of Assembly unanimously endorsed a call by provincial minister Loyola O’Driscoll to extend the fishery to full weeks in those areas – which would be in line with the rest of the province.

The MHA for Burgeo-Lapoile presented a petition before the House calling for the fishery to be expanded for safety reasons, even if the daily bag limit were reduced.

Federal minister Joanne Thompson told VOCM Open Line with Brian Callahan that they will be sticking with the original decision to limit the fishery in those areas where stocks remain in the critical zone to three days a week.

“It’s easier and much more transparent to have set days, and allows for flexibility,” says Thompson.