The following statement was issued today by Trevor Taylor, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I rise today to inform the members of this House that government is working with High Liner Foods Inc. on possible solutions to keep the fish plant in Arnold�s Cove in operation.

The Arnold�s Cove plant employs close to 400 people and generates approximately the same number of indirect and induced employment. Two and a half years ago, the facility was offered for sale; however, there were no buyers.

The plant in Arnold�s Cove is state-of-the-art. The superb management, staff and technology make it one of the best groundfish plants in North America, if not the world. It is the type of processing facility that is required if Newfoundland and Labrador is to remain a major player in world groundfish markets. Indeed, should groundfish stocks recover, it is critical that we have plants like this one to ensure that we can process the fish along our shores for the benefit of the people of this province.

High Liner Foods operates the plant and has access to Enterprise Allocations that are important to people of this province. While these allocations are currently at low levels, it would be prudent for this government to ensure that these quotas and historical rights remain available to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as a whole. This government will do what is required to preserve the historical rights to fish in our adjacent waters.

The Arnold�s Cove fish plant is an anchor of the local economy in most communities ranging from Southern Harbour to Clarenville. Without involvement from the provincial government and commitments from the workers and from other agencies, it is questionable whether this operation will continue. I must note that the province�s policy of not providing loan guarantees and direct financial support to primary processing companies remains in place. Any solutions must be consistent with the policy of not subsidizing the operations of processing plants. At the same time, we are open to new and innovative ways of doing business, and we are open to new technologies and directions. Only a long-term strategy will ensure that the Arnold�s Cove plant will remain open.

I am optimistic that commitments will be reached with other stakeholders in the coming days � commitments that will provide for a more stable future for the Arnold�s Cove fish plant, and commitments that will retain access to these quotas for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. In the meantime, I will pledge to this House today to provide a public update on the status of the plant and the province�s involvement in a timely manner.

2004 06 03 2:10 p.m.