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Municipal Affairs
Fisheries and Aquaculture
October 5, 2009

Employment Assistance Available for Fish Harvesters and Fish Plant Workers

In response to a downturn in the 2009 fishing season and employment challenges, the Provincial Government will provide temporary employment support to harvesters and plant workers through the Community Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP).

"We recognize that the fishing industry in the province has experienced a difficult year, and are committed to working with harvesters and plant workers to ensure that they have opportunity to gain employment," said the Honourable Dianne Whalen, Minister of Municipal Affairs. "The CEEP program will provide harvesters and plant workers most in need with immediate income leading to EI benefits."

The employment assistance initiative is in response to an unusually difficult year in the fishing industry, due to a number of factors including lower landings of certain species, lower fish prices for species such as lobster and cod, and catch failures in most areas for lumpfish.

"Because these events have combined to significantly impact certain small boat harvesters and plant workers throughout the province, assistance will be available to harvesters and plant workers province-wide," said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "While we remain committed to working with industry to address the long-term sustainability of the fishery, it is important to deal with the immediate needs of individuals requiring employment assistance. Additionally, our government is working with the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) to develop a broader program for lobster harvesters that would access the recently announced funds by the Federal Government to deal with the industry structure and viability of the sector."

The Community Enhancement Employment Program is a provincially-funded, targeted employment program that creates short-term employment for eligible participants. The program is administered by the Department of Municipal Affairs and provides funding to established community-based organizations to sponsor and manage employment projects. Support for plant workers will be to a maximum of 420 hours less any EI insurable hours already accumulated in 2009. Harvesters with less than $3,780 in fishing income toward a winter EI claim will be eligible to participate. Workers will be paid $9.00 per hour. The estimated cost of this support initiative will be in the $4 million to $6 million range depending on the number of individuals who participate in the program.

"Initial approvals will be based on CEEP project applications already on file," said Minister Whalen. "However, given the scale of the employment need, additional applications will be considered. We would particularly welcome applications to improve community fisheries infrastructure."

Other examples of eligible projects include those related to municipal infrastructure, tourism initiatives, community health and wellness programs, facilitating the active participation of seniors in communities, cultural or natural heritage, arts and crafts development, restoration of heritage sites, environmental improvements, aquaculture infrastructure, agrifoods infrastructure and other labour-intensive initiatives.

Applications, a guide for completing an application, and program administration guidelines can be found at www.gov.nl.ca/ma/cep   or may be obtained by calling the Department of Municipal Affairs at 1-866-508-5500.

"We recognize the challenges associated with seasonal employment and the challenges associated with this year�s fishery, and will work to ensure that individuals requiring short-term employment have access to employment opportunities as quickly as possible," said Minister Whalen.

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Media contacts:

Heather MacLean
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 697-4137
heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca
Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca

2009 10 05                                                     11:40 a.m.
 


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