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The following is being distribuuted at the request of the Newfoundland and Labrador Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board:

Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board appoints executive director

Bill Broderick, chairperson of the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board, announced today the appointment of Boyd Smith as the board's first executive director. Mr. Smith began his employment with the board on January 27, 1997.

Boyd Smith, a native of Spaniard's Bay, has had a long-term association with the fishery through his employment with the College of Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University. His most recent employment was as the managing director, Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation. Prior to this, he served as head of the Marine Institute's School of Fisheries. This position included administrative responsibility for fisheries applied research and development and fisheries education and training programs. Additionally, Mr. Smith has served as a member of the board of directors of the former Fisheries Loan Board, Fishermen's Training Inc., the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation, the Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries Advisory Council and other federal and provincial fishery and aquaculture advisory groups.

Mr. Broderick noted that the board is pleased that the Professional Fish Harvesters Act passed by the House of Assembly in July 1996 made Newfoundland and Labrador the first province in Canada to formally recognize fish harvesting as a profession.

On January 2, 1997, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Fred Mifflin announced that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) recognized the board's role in the certification and registration of fish harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador. He stated that commercial fish harvesters will be required to obtain certification by the board in 1997, and, as a result, DFO will no longer be issuing Personal Fishing Registrations (PFRs). Fish harvesters will continue to be required to renew their fishing licences and vessel registrations with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Mr. Broderick indicated that the Certification Board will now begin reviewing the status of fish harvesters under the professionalization grandfathering criteria. The board will be issuing appropriate Professional Fish Harvester Level I and Level II certificates and Apprentice Fish Harvester certificates to new entrants over the next few months.

Mr. Broderick noted that "the initial implementation process of designating each fish harvester into one of the three levels of professionalization will be a demanding exercise and I would ask all fish harvesters to bear with the new board in its first few months of operation." During this transitional period, individuals who were registered in 1996 may continue to participate in the commercial fishery as in previous years. However, once the professionalization program is fully operational, all fish harvesters must have a valid 1997 Level I, Level II or Apprentice Fish Harvester certificate in order to prosecute the commercial fishery.

The professionalization program also provides for the establishment of an Appeals Board and a Disciplinary Board. Independent appeal panels will be formed to ensure all fish harvesters are evaluated fairly for their attachment and experience in the fishery and with respect to the designation assigned to them by the board.

The offices of the Professional Fish Harvesters Certification Board open today for operation at 15 Hallet Cresent, St. John's. The mailing address for the board is P.O. Box 8392, St. John's, NF, A1B 3N7. The telephone number is (709) 722-8170, and the facsimile number is (709) 722- 8201.

Contact: Bill Broderick (Chairperson), (709) 669-3226.