Fisheries and Aquaculture
May 24, 2016
Standing Together for Fairness in Northern Shrimp Allocations
All-Party Committee on Northern Shrimp Allocations Presents Position to Ministerial Advisory Panel on LIFO Policy
Newfoundland and Labrador’s All-Party Committee on Northern Shrimp Allocations is recommending that the Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) policy be discontinued and the offshore fleet should no longer have access to shrimp fishing area (SFA) 6. The All-Party committee presented its position today at the public consultation meeting of the Ministerial Advisory Panel carrying out the external review of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ LIFO policy for the Northern Shrimp fishery.
“The All-Party Committee has remained steadfast in its position that LIFO is not fair and disproportionately impacts the inshore fishery. It is not used anywhere else in Canadian fisheries and it is imperative that LIFO is abolished in favour of a different arrangement that is a more balanced approach for shrimp resources. The All-Party Committee has reviewed LIFO in-depth and our alternative which will see the inshore fleet only having access to SFA 6 ensures the viability of both the inshore and offshore sectors.”
- The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Further to the removal of offshore harvesting from SFA 6, the All-Party Committee recommends that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans also provides permanent allocations to all special allocation holders, as well as special consideration to established social enterprises. The All-Party Committee remains committed to eliminating LIFO in favour of this arrangement, which respects long-standing fisheries allocation principles of adjacency, historical dependency on fishery resources, fleet viability and economic and community development.
"We were pleased to present to the Ministerial Advisory Panel, and express our position that we do not support the LIFO policy, and that a balanced approach which recognizes both the inshore and offshore is important. The viability of our rural communities is an important part of these discussions, as is respecting the past and considering resources, future viability and economic development."
- Kevin Parsons, Member All-Party Committee and MHA for Cape St. Francis
The Ministerial Advisory Panel is also holding public consultations throughout the province in Gander, St. Anthony, Mary’s Harbour and Happy Valley-Goose Bay and, as well, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Public meetings have already been held in Iqualuit, Nunavut. The All-Party Committee encourages anyone interested in this matter to make their views known at one of these public meetings or provide a written submission.
“I am very happy we were able to come to agreement on this unified position. Since the start of the all-party process, we’ve emphasized that the well-being of the people and communities of rural Newfoundland and Labrador is the paramount consideration, that adjacency has to be the principle that guides the awarding of quotas, and that LIFO has to go. I look forward to standing with my fellow parliamentarians and presenting the province’s case to Ministerial Advisory Panel.”
- Lorraine Michael, Parliamentary Leader of the New Democratic Party and MHA for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi
The All-Party Committee will also provide a written submission to support its presentation by the Friday, June 3 deadline. Click the link for a copy of the All-Party Committee’s presentation 
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QUICK FACTS
- Newfoundland and Labrador’s All-Party Committee on Northern Shrimp Allocations presented to the Ministerial Advisory Panel carrying out the external review of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans LIFO policy today.
- The All-Party Committee remains committed to eliminating LIFO in favour of the offshore fleet no longer having access to shrimp fishing area (SFA) 6 and providing permanent allocations to all special allocation holders, as well as special consideration to established social enterprises.
- The Ministerial Advisory Panel consists of Paul Sprout (Chair), Barbara Crann, Wayne Follett and Trevor Taylor.
- Anyone wishing to provide a written submission can do so by sending it to Documentlifo2016.Documentlifo2016@dfo-mpo.gc.ca before Friday, June 3.
- The Ministerial Advisory Panel will provide its final report to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard by June 15.
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Media contacts:
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Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture 709-729-3733, 682-6593 vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca |
Heather MacLean
Director of Communications Office of the Official Opposition 709-729-6105, 725-5204 heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca |
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Jean Graham Director of Communications New Democratic Party Caucus Office 709-729-2137, 709-693-9172 jeangraham@gov.nl.ca |
2016 05 24 10:15 a.m.