As per the version of the local fishermen a new federal investment plan that provides Ucluelet’s Small Craft Harbour with funding for upgrades intended to aid the local commercial fishery is the height of irony. The funding is called tragically ironic because at one hand the government is doing something and on other hand it doesn’t know what it is doing.
Dan Edwards, a local fisherman opined that the plan allocates $200 million under Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Small Craft Harbours program over two years to accelerate repair, maintenance and dredging projects for about 35 harbours on the island and along B.C.’s coast. The federal government has already budgeted $80 million for the Small Craft Harbours program this year as well as $22.7 million that is being provided under Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
Federal Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages James Moore made the announcement on June 5 and told that the program was meant to specifically aid the commercial fishery in coastal British Columbia. Moore was quoted, the commercial fishery is very important to the people of British Columbia and the Government of Canada recognizes the province’s need for a well-functioning network of small craft harbours.”
But according to Edwards the announcement is ironic, given that the government imposed a 30 per cent reduction in Chinook salmon catch, as per an agreement it made with the US to help conserve stocks. He also told that the agreement was a ratification of the Pacific Salmon Treaty and in return for a Canadian catch reduction, the US offered $30 million in mitigation money to be used for the next ten years while the reduction remains in effect.
Local fishery advocates have said the $30 million, intended to cover the effects of the 30 per cent catch reduction, is not enough to compensate commercial fishermen this year or for the 10 years. It is told that the federal government is trying to support industry because there are always real needs because of the economy. Ucluelet West Harbour Manager Steve Bird said the harbour will get $600,000 under the plan to do a full electrical upgrade, something he said he’s been lobbying to have done for 15 years.
