This post was originally published to The Fisherman website. More archived The Fisherman blog posts can be found on our Archive Page.
Problem
Fishermen are not united — there are few strong fish harvester organizations left.
Solutions
- Provincially mandated fishermen’s organizations
- Different Atlantic provinces have different legislation mandating fish harvesters organizations
- BC’s government should create legislation that will ensure all harvesters belong to one organization or another
- Fishermen need to compare other Provinces legislation and choose a model best for BC
- Must benefit active commercial fishermen not license investors (unless they are actively fishing)
- Discussion has to be led by Province
- Everyone has to pay into an organization – no freeloaders
- Strengthen other organizations also could strengthen Union
- Many fishermen are starting to feel that they need unity and so they need to have an organization to represent them.
- Seafood Alliance says they represent 95% of license holders but they mostly represent the positions of CFC and other large licence/quota investors
- CSAB is looking at the conservation stamp and asking DFO/ to remit it to the CSAB.
- Provincially mandated active fishermen organizations will mean that active fish harvesters will not be dominated by investors
- If all fishermen pay to organizations, they can afford to pay for a biologist
- How do we engage indigenous fishermen?