The recent report by DFO indicating further declines in shrimp are imminent are raising concerns about the need to change the Last In First Out policy of DFO.

Keith Sullivan, president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers union (FFAW), objects to generalized, grey-cloud talk of “issues” in the industry, but he has joined representatives from all parties in the province’s House of Assembly in speaking out publicly on a specific issue tied to shrimp quota cuts.

All have objected to a federal policy that will, they say, see inshore fishermen shouldering the bulk of cuts, in comparison to the offshore fleet.

The Last In, First Out (LIFO) policy dictates any quota cuts are first put to inshore fishermen as opposed to the offshore fleet. The reason given is that inshore fishermen experienced greater increases in their quotas compared to the offshore fleet from the late 1990s to today, to the tune of a 90 per cent versus 10 per cent share, although that value is disputed by provincial representatives, who say the windfall for the inshore was not across the board.

Regardless, the inshore takes the bulk of the cuts.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2014-12-21/article-3985151/Living-with-LIFO/1

TAGS: NL shrimp fishery, quota cuts, declining resource, Last In First Out policy, LIFO



Last Updated ( Monday, 22 December 2014 19:55 )