Local plants fear outcome if province issues more processing licences

By Anne Barker

FOR THE SOU’WESTER

Jim Dalton is worried.

The chairman of the union local at the Ocean Choice International (OCI) fish plant in Port Union, N.L. is concerned over rumours that the province is contemplating issuing more shrimp and crab processing licences.

The word is that fish plants in Valleyfield and La Scie want shrimp licences, and plants in Conche and Englee want to process crab. Dalton says the mere suggestion of adding more licences to the fish processing industry in this province is ridiculous.

He is especially bothered about the idea of the Valleyfield plant getting a licence. As things stand, much of the shrimp brought into the Ocean Choice International (OCI) plant in Port Union comes from fishermen in that area.

"We can't afford to lose any product. We are not getting the continuous production seven days a week, which we need."

He notes fishermen from Musgrave Harbour and Valleyfield area ship their shrimp to the Port Union plant.

"Without these boats, our plant won't survive," he predicts.

"We also have several boats from La Scie shipping directly to Port Union. If a shrimp licence goes to La Scie, they are going to take those boats away from other plants," says Dalton.

Workers at the OCI plant in Bonavista, which processes crab, share similar sentiments.

Barry Randell is the local Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) representative. He says he can't believe the province would even consider granting new processing licences in any species at this time. If it does, he points out the government will be going against its own advice.

"Our union here in Bonavista has nothing against any community. If there was enough product out there to let every community have a plant, good."

However, he notes, there's too much processing capacity in the province. Government, itself, has noted this.

"Regardless where the plants are, there is no way government should approve any more licences."

Compared to past years, Randell says the 2008 season was a pretty good one for workers in Bonavista, with more crab coming into the plant.

Even so, he says, many of the workers didn't get enough hours to qualify for employment insurance. He fears the addition of two more crab licences to the processing system will mean even less hours for workers in Bonavista or some other plant.

In addition, according to Randell, the other rumour is that fishing quotas may be cut next year.

"All indications are that there will be another cut in crab quotas next year, especially in 3L. That's what I'm hearing from a lot of people who should know. If there is a cut in the quota, how can government justify issuing new processing licences?"

Right now, he says, all people have to go on are rumours. He's been trying to get answers from different sources, has not had much success.

Dalton was in St. John's for a meeting at FFAW headquarters, where the matter was one of the main issues up for discussion.

"I have been asked by the FFAW not to discuss (the) meeting with the media until some issues are resolved," he says.

Meanwhile, he planned to meet with Port Union plant workers.

Their original intention was to head to St. John's for a protest rally last Thursday, when rumours started circulating. Dalton says that protest may happen this week, depending on what news is available.

As far as Dalton is concerned, government has only one choice to make, and that is to hold the line on new processing licences.

"There's not much left on the Bonavista Peninsula these days, with all the young people having to go away to find employment. For the people working in the plants in Bonavista and Port Union, if those licences are approved, they might be lucky to get four or five weeks of work a year."

If government approves more processing licences, he says those who do work at the local plants "won't be long leaving, either."

(Anne Barker is a journalist with Transcontinental Media’s Packet newspaper, which is a contributor to the Sou’Wester.)