NLIS 5
May 22, 2003
(Fisheries and Aquaculture)

 

Minister comments on federal response to fisheries closure

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Yvonne Jones stated today: "The delayed federal government response to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador impacted by the closure of the northern and gulf cod fisheries is unacceptable. It has been four weeks to the day since the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans closed the northern and Gulf cod fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador and announced some funding to assist with the impact of the closure.

"I have written and met with both federal ministers Robert Thibault and Gerry Byrne to indicate the need for immediate extension of employment insurance, yet the people impacted by this closure have heard nothing about EI, compensation, or the status of the $25 million for make work projects. Minister Gerry Byrne stated yesterday that the federal government is costing the different elements of a proposed program which includes employment insurance extensions. How much longer will the people of this province have to wait? Most of them already have lapsed their employment insurance. An estimated 53 per cent of the fish harvesters exhausted their employment insurance by the end of April and as many as 98 per cent will have exhausted benefits by June.

"In addition, we have been waiting for a decision on the inclusion of early retirement and licence buy backs in the adjustment package and nothing has been done. I have been hearing from plant workers that they anticipate that the compensation package being reviewed by the federal government will be industry-wide. Our federal Members of Parliament have been talking about workers impacted by the recent cod closures only. They are carrying the ball in Ottawa however I feel they need to be pushing for an industry-wide retirement package. Many people would have been attached to the fishery in the past and the closure of the northern and gulf fisheries has province-wide impacts.

"On May 12, in a meeting with Minister Thibault, I asked him to review the commercial log books of the fishers that were omitted from the recent scientific analysis of the Gulf cod stock. In addition, the province asked DFO to complete an early review of the sentinel fishery results for this year and we asked for this review to ensure due consideration to information from our fishers who feel the stocks are healthier than science has indicated. We have not heard any response to the timing of these requests.

"The federal government must move immediately to provide employment insurance extensions and announce its adjustment package for fishers and plant workers so people can make decisions about the future of their lives and their communities. Why is it taking so long?"

Media contact: Cynthia Layden-Barron, (709) 729-3733

2003 05 22                                      2:00 p.m.


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