Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) says it needs flexibility to make enterprises viable. The union’s vision is to run this enterprise for the benefits of small and other N.L. fishermen. The group told that the problem for Small and other N.L. fishermen who want different policies than their union is that the FFAW speaks on their behalf to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
The FFAW is tasked with the difficult job of representing all fleet sectors and plant workers, which often have differing interests, Small has revived a group to lobby for his sector – boats over 40 feet in fishing area 3K. Small, owner of the 65 foot dragger Green Isle, added that there are vast differences in the direction individual licence holders want to take their enterprises compared to the agenda of the FFAW.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Independent Fish Harvesters Association (NLFIHA) was spurred into existence by the union’s stance against ‘ buddy up’ arrangements which allow two quotas fished from one boat. It is told that DFO is supporting the union saying that buddying up discourages enterprise owners from buying up other licences and ‘combining them’.
The NLFIHA also takes issue with Transport Canada regulations that are keeping owners from building the bigger boats allowed them under the fisheries renewal framework. If they build their boat longer than 65 foot, increasing hold capacity and fuel efficiency, it’ll be automatically classified a ‘ large fishing vessel’ and beholden to strict regulations, which owners claim they can’t afford to abide by.
