Federal New Democrats are calling on minister Bernadette Jordan to ensure Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) improves its decision-making process and consult with harvesters before changes in regulations occur.
In a media release, North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney stated that last year, against the wishes of fish harvesters, DFO banned freezing prawns at sea for the domestic market, a practice known as tubbing. Under pressure from the NDP, DFO temporarily reversed the ban, but so far, the department has not confirmed the practice will remain legal, the release stated.
“It's not right for DFO to randomly change the rules and impact the livelihoods of people on our coast, especially when those changes are not needed,” stated Blaney. “The minister needs to listen to the fisheries committee who heard directly from fish harvesters, as did I, and ensure that tubbing will be allowed in the coming years.”
The release stated that earlier in the week, Blaney tabled a petition signed by more than 1,800 Canadians, that was initiated by Powell River prawn fisher Emily Orr, calling for DFO to permit fishers to continue the practice of freezing prawns at sea.
The release stated that at the standing committee on fisheries and oceans, Courtenay-Alberni MP Gordon Johns successfully proposed a new timeline standard to regulation changes. Now, any change must be announced at least 180 days before the opening of the prawn fishing season so fishers aren’t scrambling to adjust at the last minute, according to the release.
