Following attendance at the Fish, Food and Allied Workers-Canadian Autoworkers Ninth Constitutional Convention yesterday in Gander, the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, is urging the harvesting and processing sectors to work together to develop solutions that are viable for addressing issues in the fishing industry over the long-term.

"I understand the importance of the fishing industry to rural Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Jackman. "I also understand how important this industry is to the people who depend on it. That is why I am hopeful that the parties to the Agreement on Fishing Industry Restructuring will put their differences aside and collaborate to provide my department with recommendations that will enable us to improve the industry."

The minister noted that the outlook for the 2010 fishery is improved according to recognized global seafood consultants. This is important news since there was serious depletion of markets in 2009 as a result of the global economic crisis. However, the minister also cautioned that this does not mean that next year will be an easy time in the industry. For this reason, marketing of the province�s seafood will continue to be a Provincial Government priority.

"We will continue to face issues relating to the increasing Canadian dollar," said Minister Jackman. "I am also noticing the difficult dynamic between the harvesting and processing sectors. Various union members spoke at the convention and were coming from many different perspectives. These perspectives are important but there must also be an effort to work together toward a common goal to address long-standing issues in the fishery."

At present, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture has engaged Deloitte and Grant Thornton to conduct a financial analysis of both the harvesting and processing sectors. This is one of the activities of the working groups for the Agreement on Fishing Industry Restructuring.

"I encourage everyone who is contacted to participate and to provide as much information as possible to the consultants, in a timely, complete and accurate manner," said Minister Jackman. "As we move out of this difficult year in the industry, I commit to advocate for the solutions that the industry brings forward to the Provincial Government."

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Media contact:

Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca