NDP MPs Demand End to Foreign Ownership of Canadian Fishing Licenses
NDP MPs Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo – Ladysmith) and Taylor Bachrach (Skeena – Bulkley Valley) have penned a letter to Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray demanding an end to the foreign ownership of commercial fishing licenses. This letter follows a Union-launched parliamentary petition to stop the foreign ownership of fishing licenses in Canada.
The MPs highlighted the importance of protecting wild salmon, coastal communities, and the livelihoods of local workers through a ban on the transfer of commercial fishing licenses to foreign ownership. They emphasized that foreign ownership of fishing licenses and quotas poses a huge risk to the economic viability of Canadian fisheries and Canadian food security, leading to a loss of domestic fish processing capacity and jobs.
In the letter, the MPs called on the government to prioritize the well-being of wild Pacific salmon and coastal communities over the interests of big international corporations.
“There is a clear problem here. We should be prioritizing the wellbeing of wild salmon and coastal communities, not allowing our fisheries to be sold to foreign corporations,” MP Bachrach said.
The MPs also expressed their commitment to fighting for the coastal communities, workers, and the next generation of Canadian fish harvesters until there is a full ban on the transfer of fishing licenses to foreign corporations.
Click here to read the full letter.
Upcoming Election and Call for Nominees: Herring Industry Advisory Board (HIAB)
According to DFO, there will be an election this summer for the Herring Industry Advisory Board (HIAB). The HIAB provides formal advice and recommendations to the Department on policy and operational decisions related to commercial herring fishery planning in the Pacific Region.
The nomination process for the HIAB election will be held in two stages, with the first stage involving the nomination of candidates. Eligible individuals who hold a license can nominate themselves or another person who agrees to be a representative.
The elected representatives will replace the previously elected seine and gillnet HIAB representatives from 2018, and five representatives will be elected from each group. Multiple nominations can be submitted by license eligibility holders, with one nomination per form.
This is a chance for those interested in shaping policy and operational decisions related to commercial herring fishery planning in the Pacific Region to participate in the election process. More updates will be available soon.