FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25th, 2014
MP for Labrador
Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador, is speaking out regarding the possibility of future reductions in shrimp allocations in Area 5 and 6 to Labrador enterprises.
“With respect to Labrador license and quota holders of shrimp, these individuals should not be cut. It would severely affect the profitability of their industry. Any cuts to Labrador’s offshore fishers will translate directly into major job losses for both harvesters and plant workers, as the offshore quotas support onshore processing and inshore fishers. Shrimp quota cuts will affect communities from Nain to L’Anse au Clair on the Labrador coast, as well as the Innu, Nunatsiavut, and Nunatukavut Aboriginal governments. In addition, that will severely affect local companies like the Labrador Fisherman’s Union Shrimp Company Limited and Torngat Fisheries.”
Ms. Jones also commented on the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans rules for Last In, First Out (LIFO), and the issues surrounding adjacency:
“I am not satisfied with the Last In, First Out (LIFO) guideline and how it is not proportionately applied across Canada. I am hearing of cases in the Nunavut A0 zone, where fishers from Nunavut have access to all the quotas because of adjacency. Here in Labrador, in our adjacent zones, Labradorian fishers only have about 10% of the quotas. This is totally unfair and the discrepancy from one region to the next is justifiably cause for concern for local fishers who are trying to provide for their families and communities. I call on the Minister to apply these adjacency rules with fairness across the country so that Labrador fishing enterprises, Aboriginal groups, Fish companies, and workers can benefit in the same way that other regions of our country do.”
-30-
Media contact:
Christian von Donat
613-996-4632 (T)
613-222-2735 (C)
[email protected]