A group which focuses on the inshore fishery is calling on Ottawa to act on a House of Commons report a few years ago into the industry calling on DFO to seriously consider policy changes in a couple of key areas.

Because of restrictions on vessel length, owners have had to resort to some drastic measures to conform, such as taking a couple of feet off a 42′ boat to achieve the 39’11” length.

As well, there are different standards for registration in the Atlantic provinces: It takes a year in most of Newfoundland and Labrador, 30 days in Nova Scotia and a day in Conne River.

The report recommended a review of those policies.

Ryan Cleary, interim executive director of SEA-NL, says it has been a long time since we had a fisheries minister from this province.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will unveil his cabinet soon.

He says we should have a Ken McDonald or Seamus O’Regan in the cabinet as the minister of fisheries, so that we can make some headway in Newfoundland and Labrador.