Dunne Report to form basis of renewed fish processing policy

Trevor Taylor, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, today released the Final Report of the Fish Processing Policy Review Commission and announced that government has endorsed the report in principle as the basis to renew the province�s fish processing policy.

"Existing fisheries policy has not kept pace with the dramatic changes that have influenced our fishing industry over the past decade. As a result, we have experienced disruptions and instability that have been detrimental to the industry as a whole, and the people who earn their livelihoods from it," Minister Taylor said.

Significant developments that have characterized the province�s fish processing sector for the past decade include the shift from groundfish to shellfish as primary species, a less labour-intensive sector, an aging population, and population migration within the province.

"Report after report has maintained that the status quo is not acceptable," the minister said. "We must address the serious issues identified by the commission. We have to take action to help steer the fishery on a strong course to long-term viability and stability, so that it will continue to be a strong driver of our economic growth, particularly in rural areas."

The policy review of the province�s management of the fish processing sector was commissioned in June 2003. Commissioner Eric Dunne held more than 50 meetings with industry members and concerned citizens from close to 100 communities. Mr. Dunne delivered his final report with its 25 recommendations on December 15, 2003.

Minister Taylor said the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture will start work immediately to begin updating fisheries policies that are within provincial jurisdiction, with the Dunne report forming the basis for policy renewal.

"While some details of implementation may not be exactly as Mr. Dunne has recommended, we fully approve the entire report in principle. We believe that it provides a solid basis for the most significant advances in provincial fishery policy in the last decade. This includes a new operational structure for the fish processing sector designed to create a more stable operating environment," he said.

The Dunne report will form the basis for this work in four broad areas:

• Development of a new policy framework in 2004 that will be more open and transparent, attempt to eliminate latent capacity in the industry, and make processing plants more accountable to government. The report recommends that this framework include: establishing an arms-length fish processing licensing board as well as a formal industry-government policy advisory committee; a focus on active processing licences; adoption of a species licensing system linked to a resource threshold; established criteria for new licences and licence transfers; a requirement for processors to submit annual processing plans; and an annual requirement to report corporate shareholders in fish processing companies.
  
• Development by industry of a pilot project for sharing of raw material by the processing sector, for which a proposal would have to be submitted from a group of processors representing at least three-quarters of the active processing licence holders.
  
• Continuation and strengthening of the Quality Assurance Program (QAP), including the development of further quality standards, increased inspection activity, and improved training.
  
• A review and revision of the department�s legislative and regulatory framework as set out in the Fish Inspection Act and its regulations. The report makes proposals to increase the requirement for crab processing, develop an enforcement program, monitor crab exports, and implement a ticketing system for enforcement purposes.

Minister Taylor noted that implementation of some aspects of the report can be accomplished in a relatively short time, such as improvements to the QAP for the 2004 season, and legislative changes in the fall sitting of the House of Assembly. Others will necessarily take longer and he expects that a new policy framework will be fully operational in time for the 2005 season.

The Final Report of the Fish Processing Policy Review Commission, along with backgrounders and other related material, are available online at www.gov.nl.ca/fishaq/dunnereport/.

Media contact: Alex Marland, Communications, (709) 729-3733

2004 02 04                                        2:05 p.m.