Fisheries and Aquaculture
April 13, 2016

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture:

Premier and Ministers Visiting Site of Fish Plant Fire in Bay de Verde

Mr. Speaker, on Monday a fire destroyed the Quinlan Brother’s shrimp and crab processing plant in Bay de Verde. This afternoon, the Premier, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and I will visit the town to witness first-hand the impact of this devastating fire.

I would like to begin by recognizing the incredible work of the volunteers and communities who came together during this time of need. I was in Bay de Verde on Monday and was overwhelmed by the support. First responders were on the scene, working tirelessly to extinguish the flames, including neighbouring fire departments. Town councils, community groups, schools and residents assisted in any way they could to help those affected.

During our visit, Mr. Speaker, we hope to speak with the residents of Bay de Verde to hear their concerns. We are also meeting with Quinlan Brothers to discuss arrangements to process their crab purchases and redeploy plant workers to nearby plants.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to engage with those involved including residents, plant workers and Quinlan Brothers. We are committed to working with the company as they move forward with short-term options and as they make long-term decisions about the future of their operation. This is truly a terrible loss for the region and, during this difficult time, we will remain committed to doing everything we can to help the workers, the company and the community.

2016 04 13                              2:15 p.m.