Quebec joins Nova Scotia in seeking historical share of redfish quota

Quebec has joined Nova Scotia in staking its claim on the upcoming redfish bonanza in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Companies from Quebec hold a little under one-third of the offshore quota, while it's around 50 per cent in Nova Scotia. The fishery was effectively shut down to protect the species in 1995.

However, a now booming population is about to set off a huge harvest in an area known as Unit 1, which encompasses the Gulf of St. Lawrence and portions of the Cabot Strait.

Quebec said it's essential for the federal government to maintain the historical share of quota when large-scale fishing resumes in several years, even if the industry there is not ready.

Quebec's fisheries minister, André Lamontagne, said in a statement the redfish fishery was important to his province's economy before the 1995 moratorium.

"The reopening of the fishery is an opportunity for Quebec to relaunch this industry from a development perspective, that is to say, by maximizing the value of this fishery and the spinoffs for Quebec's coastal communities," he said.

"In addition, the revival of this industry could contribute to Quebec's food self-sufficiency."

Ottawa is seeking feedback from stakeholders as it considers how it will reopen the redfish harvest, which could reach 50,000 tonnes annually and be worth tens of millions of dollars.

Another demand from N.L.

On Monday, a group representing some harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador called on Premier Andrew Furey to back demands that inshore fleets from the province are the "primary beneficiary of the adjacent and exploding redfish stock in the Gulf of St. Lawrence."

"Redfish could be to the inshore fleet what Hibernia was to the oil industry, but Premier Furey must draw a line in the sand to get us there," said Ryan Cleary, interim executive director of Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, in a statement.

Cleary wants 50 per cent plus one of the total allowable catch awarded to the Newfoundland and Labrador inshore sector, echoing a similar demand from a rival organization — the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union.

Meeting those demands would come at the expense of fishermen in other provinces, especially the offshore fleet of boats 30 metres and longer.

Right now, 74 per cent of the total allowable catch of Gulf redfish is held by the offshore fleet.

How the offshore quota is broken down

The offshore quota is shared this way:

• Mersey Seafoods (N.S.) — 31.08 per cent.

• Madelipeche (Que.) — 30.11 per cent.

• Clearwater Seafoods (N.S.) — 14.6 per cent.

• Ocean Choice International (N.L.) — 12 per cent.

• Louisbourg Seafoods (N.S.) — 4.48 per cent.

• Belle Bay (N.B.) — 3.71 per cent.

• Caramer Limited (N.B.) — 3.75 per cent.

• MV Osprey (N.S.) — 0.1 per cent.

• Acadian Fish Processors. (N.S.) — 0.02 per cent.

Offshore licence holders say the campaign to strip quota from them destabilizes orderly management of the industry and threatens millions of dollars in investments made to gear up for the fishery.

'No reason to change,' says Nova Scotia fisheries minister

Nova Scotia also wants Ottawa to preserve the historical share in the redfish fishery.

"I see no reason to change them now. It's something we've invested in as Nova Scotians," said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Steve Craig.

Quebec holds the same position.

"This is not a new fishery, but the reopening of a fishery that had to cease," Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Quebec said in its statement.

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