Opposition Leader Tony Wakeham is asking the provincial government to press on its federal counterparts the importance of addressing the inequity in DFO’s redfish allocations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Just 15 per cent of the overall quota of 60,000 tonnes is going to the inshore, a fleet that had hoped for a greater allocation to offset losses from a dwindling shrimp fishery in the Gulf.
One of the first to raise the alarm was Liberal MHA Gerry Byrne who echoed similar concerns expressed by the FFAW when the first phase of the federal government’s red fish management plan was revealed in February. He even went as far as to accuse Ottawa of “moral dishonesty” in the quota allocations.
Tony Wakeham says it’s critical that coastal communities remain viable, and to do so, they need a strong, community-driven fishery, but instead, a fleet of vessels and communities are now questioning their future in an industry struggling to survive.