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NLIS 2
July 20, 2001 
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

 

Ministers and industry have successful meeting regarding the shrimp fishery

Gerry Reid, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, led a delegation to Ottawa yesterday to meet with Industry Minister Brian Tobin and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew to discuss the shrimp fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador. Members of the delegation from the province included Earle McCurdy, president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW/CAW) Union, Alastair O'Reilly, president of the Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (FANL), and other industry and union representatives. The fishery closed on July 3, 2001, due to poor market conditions which make processing and selling of shrimp unfeasible.

"We had a very successful meeting with the ministers and the entire delegation felt very positive about the receptive response from both Mr. Tobin and Mr. Pettigrew,"said Minister Reid. "We talked extensively about challenges facing the shrimp fishery; however, the primary purpose of our meeting was to discuss the 20 per cent tariff on shrimp into the European Union (EU). The removal of this prohibitive tariff is vital to the long-term viability of our shrimp fishery, and must be addressed at the international level. Ministers Tobin and Pettigrew clearly recognize the seriousness of this problem for the fishery in our province, and have committed to making this a priority issue in trade talks with the EU. I was pleased to have the opportunity to have this meeting, so that government and industry can begin to work cooperatively to have this tariff removed."

Premier Roger Grimes has also written Prime Minister Jean Chretien expressing the province's concerns about the shrimp fishery in the province. Premier Grimes discussed in detail the prohibitive nature of the 20 per cent tariff on shrimp into European Union countries, which places the industry in this province at a competitive disadvantage.

"This government is deeply concerned about those workers and communities who are being negatively impacted by the closure of the shrimp fishery in this province," said Premier Grimes. "There are many challenges facing this industry and I felt it was imperative to bring these issues to the prime minister's attention. In my correspondence with Prime Minister Chretien, I summarized both short and long term issues which must be addressed in order to ensure the long-term viability of this industry."

Senior provincial and federal government officials and industry representatives will now form a working group to develop strategies aimed at successfully negotiating to have the tariff removed. This group will convene in the coming days, so as to ensure that the issue remains as a priority issue for all stakeholders.

Media contact:
Carl Cooper, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3564 
Elizabeth Matthews, Communications, (709) 729-3733.

2001 07 20                                              12:15 p.m.


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