not more draggers

Date: Wed, 5 May 1999 17:46:33 -0300 (ADT)
From: Mark Butler <ar427@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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4 May, 1999				For Immediate Release

Just What We Need...More Draggers

High Liner Food's Henry Demone informed shareholders at the firm's annual
meeting in Halifax on Monday that as a result of a slight recovery of cod
off Southern Newfoundland the company has plans to buy up to five modern
fish draggers. (See Tues. edition of Chronicle Herald and Daily News.)

The reaction of the Ecology Action Centre is one of disbelief and dismay.
Says Mark Butler, Marine Coordinator at the Centre, "the Federal
Government has just spent big bucks trying to reduce fishing capacity, now
at the slightest hint of fish, companies are talking about new draggers."  

There are four good reasons why there is no room for new fishing capacity,
particularly destructive fishing technology, in the Atlantic Canadian
groundfish fishery:
  
1. Scientific evidence is mounting that dragging damages fish habitat.
(See the prestigious journal Conservation Biology, Vol. 12, No. 6, Dec.
98). Until this issue is resolved the Federal Government should put a
moratorium on the licencing of new groundfish dragging vessels.

2. Fish stocks off Nova Scotia are not showing any sign of recovery and
those off Newfoundland only a slight improvement.  If companies invest in
new capacity at the first sign of a recovery, this will put pressure on
the government to up quotas and we will see history repeat itself.

3. In two consecutive programs the Federal Government spent hundreds of
millions of taxpayers dollars buying back fishing capacity; all inshore
vessels, mostly less destructive groundfish longliners.  Now a fishing
company is going to purchase new vessels which will likely equal or exceed
the capacity of the vessels bought out by the buy back program.

4. High Liner, as a result of moving into new products, such as pasta and
chicken, and the purchase of fish from Alaska and Europe, has not only
survived the fisheries collapse, but has prospered.  In contrast, many
coastal communities have been devastated by the collapse.  It is time for
a public debate about the allocation of fish and the cost of the various
options to taxpayers and society.  

In addressing shareholders, Mr. Demone also said about the new vessels
that "...we won't buy them if we don't need them."  The EAC would urge
High Liner to shelve their plans. The Centre also urges the Federal
Government to develop an approach to fishing capacity which embodies
ecological principles and social values and doesn't cost the taxpayers
more money. 		

For more information contact Mark Butler at 429-2202


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