Fisherman's Road

Of all the questions that have been raised about FFAW secrecy/conflict of interest in recent months, one of the most shocking discoveries was that the union had proposed a 5 cent a pound ‘levy’ on lobster.   Fish harvesters didn’t know about the FFAW proposal (how unbelievable is that?) until FISH-NL brought it to light in early December, and it was the Seafood Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador who actually killed it (how’s that for the ultimate irony, processors standing up for harvesters — and not their union).  Find details of the FFAW proposal here .  The FFAW argued the 5 cent levy was to cover the union’s “management” of the fishery. To quote the union: “The bulk of the work once conducted by DFO is now being done by the FFAW, with no financial or in-kind support from the processing sector.”  The line between union and management isn’t so much blurred, as obliterated.  How many lobster fishermen were asked their input on a lev...

Reg MacDonald, an inshore fisherman out of Cox’s Cove, Bay of Islands, coined the term Salt-Water Mafia in reference to the FFAW.  Reg figures that between what the union actually got out of him/wanted to get out of him in fees and charges this year, the total adds up to $2,900. Here’s his breakdown: 1) $1,200 for 150 pounds of halibut that DFO cut from each harvester on the island’s west coast this year for quota overrun. At the same time, Reg says the FFAW was given a science quota of 45 tonnes of halibut. Reg figures the FFAW “stole” his fish, and puts the $1,200 down as a loss to the FFAW.  2) $50 fee to register with the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board (controlled by the FFAW). 3) $50 paid to the FFAW for 220 lobster trap tags. 4) $300 in FFAW union dues (based on three-months fishing at $25 a week). 5) $200 for dockside monitoring fees (roughly $12 a trip paid to FRC, which is controlled by the FFAW). 6) $200 for hali...

Five foreign trawlers have been issued a total of six citations in recent months for illegal fishing on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, outside Canada’s 200-mile limit.   Sept. 14 : American trawler Alex Marie; cited in port at Trepassey for directed fishing for white hake on the tail of the Grand Banks. The fish was only to be taken as a by catch.  July 21st : American trawler Titan , cited in Louisbourg, N.S. for inaccurate storage plans.  July 7th : Spanish trawler Ana Gandon , boarded at sea on the Flemish Cap and cited for improper storage of redfish.  June 15th : Portuguese trawler Calvao , boarded on the tail of the Grand Banks and cited for misreporting redfish catches.  May 22nd : Spanish trawler Puente Sabaris , boarded on the Flemish Cap, and issued two citations for misreporting redfish catches.  ••• The North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) monitors fishing on the high seas outside’s Canada’s territorial ...

Make no mistake, this election is rigged, or at the very least abnormally tilted in the FFAW's favour.  The Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board in St. John's has the definitive list of fish harvesters in the province.  That list will likely be used to determine whether FISH-NL has enough harvesters onside (50% + 1 must sign cards of support) to force a vote.  That vote, to be carried out by the Labour Relations Board, will ultimately decide which union will repres ent harvesters.  As it happens, the FFAW controls the Certification Board (and the list).    ••• The Certification Board's Executive Board of Directors includes: Bill Broderick, chair (Inshore Director, FFAW); George Feltham, secretary (Inshore VP, FFAW); Keith Sullivan, vice-chairperson (FFAW President); Kimberly Penney, member at large (DFO); Mark Dolomount (Ex-Officio).  The Certification Board's office is also located in the basement of the FFAW's multi-millio...