May 6, 1999
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

The following statement with issued by R. John Efford, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

As Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, for the past three and a half years, it has been my responsibility to work with industry to put measures in place to ensure the groundfish stocks that have been seriously depleted are rebuilt to a sustainable level.

As we all know, the Grand Banks used to be the richest fishing grounds in the world. However, because of human greed, including the over-fishing by Canadian and foreign trawlers, this valuable world resource has been depleted almost to the point of extinction. At the same time, rural Newfoundland and Labrador is also suffering the same fate.

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been saying for years that one of the main reasons for the slow recovery of our cod stocks is our burgeoning harp seal population. Today, the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council released its 1999 report which states it is Aconvinced beyond any reasonable doubt@ that the conservation of groundfish stocks will continue to be jeopardized if something isn=t done about the overpopulated seal herds. One of the council=s principle recommendations to the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is that he must take immediate action to reduce the seal herds by up to 50 per cent of their current population levels. The FRCC, which is the federal Fisheries Minister=s own scientific advisory board, states that without a doubt seals are a key factor in reducing the recruitment of cod to the fishery.

From day one, we, in Newfoundland and Labrador, have taken a lot of criticism for stating our view that the seal population, at its current level of about six million animals, is significantly impeding the recovery of our groundfish stocks. We knew it would be a difficult battle, but the battle was not only about seals and groundfish, it was also about people - our people, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was about our survival.

I=ve been concerned for the past three years about the principles of resource conservation, and this report released by the FRCC has given us hope. This is indeed another major step forward for us on this issue. As my honorable colleagues know, the House of Assembly=s All-Party Committee on Sealing traveled to Ottawa to make a major presentation to the federal government=s Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. Obviously, our message is getting through, and I only hope that our message, and the message delivered today by the FRCC, gets through to the federal Minister of Fisheries. He must act immediately to implement the recommendations announced today by his own advisory group.

I want to emphasize that I look forward to working with the federal government on immediate implementation of these recommendations to control the exploding seal herds and, thus, rebuild our groundfish stocks. This action must be taken now if our groundfish stocks are to come back, and if rural Newfoundland and Labrador is to survive.

The FRCC report also recommended an increase in the 3Ps cod stock from 20,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes. This is indeed good news for the south coast fishery. However, it is important to point out that the south coast is one of only a few areas around the province where there are positive signs of recovery of the cod stocks, and the south coast is also an area where there are lower numbers of seals. There=s a message in this, and it=s the same message that I, as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, members of the All-Party Committee on Sealing, and my fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been giving for years. It is the message that seals are jeopardizing the recovery of our cod stocks and will continue to do so if action isn=t taken now for a major reduction in the seal herd. If immediate action isn=t taken, the 3Ps cod stocks will also be threatened because there are reports that the number of seals in this area is starting to grow.

In closing, the recommendations put forward by the FRCC are a major victory for rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We have worked hard to get something done about this critical issue, and, today, as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, I am proud to reiterate that we have won the battle - but the war isn=t over yet. We will continue to fight for the survival of rural Newfoundland and Labrador; and the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has no choice but to act immediately upon the council=s recommendations. Thank you.

1999 05 06                     4:45 p.m.