Fisheries Policy Forum Starts Wednesday

The Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters’ Movement is holding its first ever policy forum for Atlantic Canadian independent fishermen, Feb. 6-7 at the Westin Hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

This meeting will bring together 100 delegates representing owner-operator fishermen from fishing communities in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

Owner-operator fleets land 75 per cent of the value of the Atlantic fishery and represent more than 10,000 individual fishing enterprises. They are the region’s single largest private sector employer.

This groups says the first-ever Policy Forum was sparked by attempts in 2012 to allow corporations to control fishing licences for species like lobster, crab, groundfish and shrimp. This galvanizing issue brought fishermen together from across the Atlantic in an unprecedented show of unity.

According to Policy Forum Chairperson Christian Brun “The events of the last year made independent fishermen realize they need to have a united voice on the numerous changes that are taking place in the fishery."

“The days are over when other fishery sectors and governments could circumvent the Canadian independent fleets or ignore them altogether” Brun said.