It’s almost a “man bites dog” story. Almost.
Usually, when the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans sets a quota for a given fishery, there are complaints from fishermen that the figure is too low.
But when the DFO set the 2007 quota for cod in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence there were no takers from Prince Edward Island, according to a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation report citing fishermen’s concerns about the state of the fishery.
“Actually, there were three [fishermen],” Ken Campbell, communications officer for the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA), said in mid-September. “And they took a total of 71 tons.”
The DFO quota was 2,000 tons.
Campbell added that the fishermen’s concern centered on quantity as much as quality. He cited predation by seals as a major factor.
PEIFA executive director Ed Frenette added that the cod had been “fished out by Cape Breton fishermen” in August.
On issuing the quota the DFO stated, “Scientific assessment of the southern Gulf cod population indicates that this stock has fallen to a record-low level. Guided by the advice of science, and in keeping with the principles of conservation and sustainable resource use, the Department is implementing immediate changes to promote halting this decline and stock rebuilding.”
The DFO added, ” We are significantly reducing the TAC [Total Allowable Catch] by 50 percent in 2007. If these trends continue, further reductions may be needed in 2008. DFO will also take action to deal with gray seal predation on these cod stocks.”
Low lobster prices
Meanwhile there was good news and bad news for P.E.I. lobster fishermen. The good news was that on September 14, the P.E.I provincial government announced that it would offer low-interest loans to lobster fishermen.
“The government is making available up to a total of $40,000 at a rate of 4 percent,” said Frenette. “The money will be available immediately. “This is real relief for fishermen, some of whom are into debt with packers. “We hope that will put pressure on the Nova Scotia government and the federal government to take action on financial assistance.”
The bad news for Northumberland Strait fishermen, though, was continued low lobster prices.
“We’re going through what you’re going through in Maine,” Frenette said. Noting that landings over the past several years have been poor, Frenette said this season has brought slight improvement in some parts of the Strait. “But the low prices are pretty much wiping out any increase in landings,” he said.
Frenette added that PEIFA is continuing to push for federal government buyouts, debt mediation and a program where each province would cover the cost of a fisherman’s financial adviser.
Buyers are blaming the low prices on the high Canadian dollar, which on Sept. 17 was at 97.3 cents U.S. Some Canadian economists were predicting that Canada could reach parity with the U.S. by the end of September.