Federal Conservatives show their cards: Inshore fishery about to be deliberately scuttled

The Conservative government of Stephen Harper seems hell bent on eliminating the fleet separation and owner operator policies that protect the traditional Newfoundland and Labrador fishery.

Read my stand here.

On Monday, the Conservative members of the Housing of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans voted down two motions – one to support the policies, and the other to carry out a study of the impact of eliminating them.

Notice of Motion – New Democratic Fisheries Critic Fin Donnelly

Feb. 29th, 2012

That because fleet separation and owner-operator policy is critical to coastal communities and protecting independent fishers in the inshore fishery, the Committee reaffirms its support for fleet separation and owner-operator vessels in the inshore fishery and opposes any move to eliminate this policy.

Motion by Liberal MP Lawrence MacAulay

That, because fleet separation and owner-operator policies form the backbone of the inshore and midshore fisheries on the East Coast of Canada and that the removal of said policies would do irreparable damage to the fisheries along with hundreds of coastal communities, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans immediately undertake a study, including traveling to hold hearings with affected stakeholders across Atlantic Canada, on what the removal of the policies would mean in economic, social and cultural terms, along with a comparative analysis of other jurisdictions where similar policies are not in place or have been removed such as British Columbia, New Zealand and Norway.

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