For months there has been much speculation about the fate of 2016 northern shrimp quotas, particularly in SFA (shrimp fishing area) 6, located adjacent to the northeast coast of Newfoundland and the southeast coast of Labrador.
On Feb. 23, the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW-Unifor) surprised some when it publicly called for an immediate halt to all northern shrimp fishing activity in SFA 6, setting off a series of union-organized public rallies across the province.
The call for a halt, the union explained, was in response to reports that the fishable biomass for SFA 6 has declined sharply over the past year. Recent indications from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) science suggest that the fishable shrimp biomass in SFA 6 could be down as much as 40 per cent compared to the 2015 levels.
“If the reports we have received are accurate, then we are facing a very difficult situation in the northern shrimp fishery that will have significant consequences for harvesters, processing workers, and the communities and regions that depend upon the shrimp fishery,” said Keith Sullivan, president of the FFAW.
The request for a halt, which the FFAW submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), would apply to all vessels fishing shrimp in SFA 6. The union said there are currently six factory-freezer offshore vessels harvesting northern shrimp in the waters off of the Northern Peninsula and wants those vessels removed from the area and SFA 6 given exclusively to the inshore fleet.
“Without a full stock assessment, it is economically and environmentally irresponsible to continue to harvest northern shrimp in SFA 6,” Sullivan continued.
Flash back 13 months ago and there was a similar conversation taking place, as the FFAW, among others, was gearing up to protest almost inevitable cuts coming to northern shrimp quotas. But all of a sudden, DFO rubber stamped a plan put forward by the offshore and inshore shrimp fleets that would see no cuts to shrimp quotas in fishing areas off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2015 — notably in critical northeast coast SFA 6.
The unexpected 2015 rollover followed federal quota reductions in 2014, which included a cut of 20 per cent to SFA 6, with the inshore fleet having its allocation reduced by approximately 10,000 tonnes while the offshore fleet allocation was reduced by approximately 1,000 tonnes.
However, with the new scientific evidence, it looks like any chances of a 2016 quota rollover appear to be all but all but gone and under the controversial Last In, First Out (LIFO) policy, 90 per cent of any quota cut would come from the inshore fleet.
The FFAW is warning that thousands of harvesting and processing jobs in rural Newfoundland and Labrador may be lost if the current fisheries management policies for northern shrimp are maintained.
In 2009, the inshore fleet had a quota of 131 million pounds in SFA 6, for 2016, if LIFO is still applied, the quota will be reduced to approximately 13 million pounds.
Sullivan said a 13-million pound quota cannot support the 10 fish plants that currently exist. This quota can only support two plants at most and it is likely that eight plants would have to close, he added.
In the wake of news of the 40 per cent biomass reduction, rural municipal leaders are warning of catastrophic circumstances, unless LIFO is reversed.
“The economy of our rural communities, including Fogo Island, has been built on the fishery,” said Phil Barnes, general manager of the Fogo Island Co-op. “There’s just so much uncertainty in the shrimp fishery at the moment that we have to prepare for the worst.”
“Our town was fortunate enough to escape the worst of the moratorium because we had a shrimp plant and crab plant,” stated Mayor Bruce Button of Old Perlican. “If the stock status update figures are confirmed, we know our shrimp plant will be in jeopardy, as will the shrimp plant in our neighboring town of Bay de Verde. That’s 400 workers, that’s a big chunk of our municipal revenue. This is a crisis.”
However, the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers, which represents the offshore shrimp fleet, has taken issue with some claims made by the union.
Executive director Bruce Chapman, told The Telegram, In terms of fairness, the inshore fleet’s quota in Area 6 jumped from essentially nothing to just under 60,000 tonnes at peak (2009) and still stood at over 31,000 tonnes last year, even after more recent cuts. The offshore, on the other hand, moved from roughly 11,000 tonnes in 1996, to peak at just under 17,000 tonnes (2009) and land at 13,000 tonnes.
Chapman explained that the offshore fleet fuels more than 1,500 onshore jobs in 116 communities in the province and severe cuts to the offshore quota would also threaten jobs held by local workers, jobs he argued that are based on more financially stable enterprises at the end of the day, more viable in the long-term.
The looming quota cuts set off a series of FFAW-organized protests and rallies — all calling for the abolishment of LIFO and for the SFA 6 to be given exclusively to the inshore fishermen.
The Northern Shrimp Advisory Committee (SAC) was also convened in early March to discuss possible interim management measures (such as interim quotas) that could be put in place to allow the fishery to continue until the full assessment is complete. No exact timelines were given by the Committee on when these recommendations would be forthcoming.
The SAC meeting coincided with Federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo’s order for an immediate, full stock assessment and look at management policy. Results of this review are not expected until early summer.
See related story “Shrimp Science, Policy Under Critical Review.”
