|
|||||
| Return to 2005 News Releases | |||||
|
|
News
Release |
||||
|
Reid pleased Raw Material Sharing system to be scrapped December 13, 2005
|
|||||
|
Opposition Leader Gerry Reid says he is pleased government has taken the
advice of Richard Cashin and scrapped the controversial Raw Material Sharing
(RMS) system in the crab fishery. Reid says Mr. Cashin’s recommendations
appear to be similar to a strengthened Final Offer Selection process that
will hopefully return some stability to the fishery. Government’s forced RMS system caused chaos in the fishing industry this year. According to the FFAW, the landed value of this year’s fishery dropped by over $200 million. The RMS system was a contributing factor to this negative impact. Many fish harvesters and crew members in the province have still not recovered financially from this disruption. "I was pleased to see that Mr. Cashin recommended against the RMS system," said Mr. Reid. "If the Premier and Minister of Fisheries honoured their commitment to consult with fish harvesters before implementing this ill-conceived system, we probably wouldn’t be in this position today. While Final Offer Selection is not a perfect system, it did provide a level of stability in the fishing industry from 1997-2005. Mr. Cashin’s report, while not limited to one recommendation, appears to provide options that will help improve next year’s fishery. "I am disappointed that government decided to release this report the day after the House of Assembly closed. The report should have been tabled in the House yesterday and debated publicly. There are many questions that need to be asked of government, especially surrounding any potential accreditation process and legislative changes that may need to happen in the very near future. It is unfortunate that we will not have this opportunity in the House of Assembly to ask these questions directly to the minister before Christmas. "I hope the minister, unlike his predecessor, will not wait until the last moment to bring forth any legislative changes. We saw the negative impact this had on the last fishing season and government should be well-prepared for changes for the upcoming season. I also hope government has learned a valuable lesson and does not try to force changes on fish harvesters in the province without consultation. Our fishing industry is a very important sector of our economy and government should ensure that consultation is held before moving forward with any changes."
|
|||||
|
Media Contact: |
|||||
