Newfoundland and Labrador is no stranger to ice floes, but even the most seasoned marine veteran will tell you that the 2017 season has been unprecedented.
Almost daily northeasterly gales blasted the province’s east coast all spring, leading to unusually thick arctic ice being rafted unto the shore, blocking harbours and preventing many fishermen from reaching the snow crab grounds.
As a result of the constant fishing delays and much lobbying by stakeholders in the province, the federal government finally came out with a financial assistance package on June 9.
Under the Ice Assistance Emergency Program, a total of up to $5 million was allocated for payments for eligible applicants residing in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec, who have been affected by ice conditions in their fishing areas which has resulted in prolonged periods without any source of income.
Eligible applicants will receive $508 for each week of eligibility, unless they have earnings from fishing which would reduce the amount payable. All applicants must have a two-week period after their EI Fishing Benefits have ended before they become eligible to receive payments under the program.
However, at the time, plant workers impacted by the lack of crab being landed were not covered under the compensation plan.
But on June 19, the Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development announced income support for Newfoundland and Labrador fish plant workers impacted by severe ice conditions.
Jean-Yves Duclos said “through Budget 2016, the Government has been providing a targeted and temporary extension of EI regular benefits for workers who live in the 15 regions most impacted by the decline in commodity prices. Claimants for EI regular benefits residing in the 15 regions — including fish plant workers — in the rural EI economic region of Newfoundland and Labrador (excluding St. John’s) can benefit from the extra five weeks with each new eligible claim that begins during January 4, 2015, to July 8, 2017, provided that they remain unemployed.”
Fish plant workers in the EI region of Newfoundland and Labrador (excluding St. John’s) can still qualify for EI with 420 hours of insurable employment and ordinarily receive between 32 and 45 weeks of benefits. When combined with the five extra weeks announced in Budget 2016, these workers may receive up to 50 weeks of regular benefits.
The decision to provide support for the plant workers came after an extensive lobbying campaign by both the Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) and the provincial Department of Fisheries and Land Resources.
The unusually heavy ice has pushed snow crab fishing into the summer. DFO earlier announced that the snow crab season in area 3K, was to be extended to July 15. Most fishermen have their crab quota caught and pots stacked on land by late spring.
To add insult to injury, for some of the fishermen that were able to actually get out of port and get crab pots in the water, some suffered further financial setbacks by ice damage to their vessels and/or loss of valuable fishing gear.
The 2017 ice woes come in the wake of an already challenging season. Earlier this year, DFO announced the snow crab total allowable catch (TAC) for Newfoundland and Labrador Region in 2017 would be 35,419 tonnes, an overall quota level decrease of approximately 22 per cent from 2016.
The TAC decrease included a two per cent reduction in 3K, 26 per cent in division 3LNO (46 per cent in the areas outside the 200-mile limit and 23 per cent in areas inside the 200-mile limit), a 50 per cent reduction in the 3Ps quota and a six per cent reduction in 4R3Pn. Quotas in 2GHJ would remain at 2016 levels.
