Tensions run high as crab harvesters call on N.L. government to introduce outside buyers

More than 150 fishermen led an anger-fuelled protest on the steps of Confederation Building on Tuesday, calling on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to free up the fishery and allow harvesters to sell their product to outside buyers.

Under the current rules, harvesters are only allowed to sell their catch to processors in the province at a price agreed upon by the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union and the Association of Seafood Producers.

Harvesters are callingon the province to give them more control over where they can sell their catch and how much they can sell it for.

"The plants are telling us when to come and when to go and how much crab to bring. So we need some free enterprise to be able to go as we please and fish as we please," said Dwayne Maher, a crab fishermen of more than 30 years from Salvage.

"We need to be able to catch what we're allowed to catch."

Processors in the province also face a cap on the amount of local product they are able to buy.

Fishers like Eugene Careen,fishing since the age of 17, said he believes removing the cap will create much-needed competition in the sector and put money in the pockets of harvesters.

WATCH | Fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless speaks with harvesters:

Fisheries minister faces angry crab harvesters on steps of Confederation Building

7 months ago

Duration 1:18

Crab harvesters confronted government officials Tuesday at Confederation Building in St. Johns. Angry over what they see as the consolidation of processing plants and the lack of competition in the fishing industry, harvesters shouted down Fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless when he tried to address the crowd.

"The system they got going here now, there's no way we're getting fairness with our crab," Carreen said.

"We got four or five companies here in this province [that] belong to the province, right?I'd like the bit of competition, and at least a few more buyers in the province. I mean, that's a different choice to sell your crab to. But we got no choice now."

Harvesters removed from House of Assembly

The crab fishery led discussions Tuesday at the House of Assembly, where the public gallery had to be cleared during question period as protesters heckled proceedings.

The session involved a heated debate between Premier Andrew Furey and PCLeader Tony Wakeham before question period was recessed.

"I'm going tosay the plants got the government in their back pocket," Maher told CBC News.

"Everyone here elected the government, and they're supposed to be here for us. And yet they're doing nothing for us. They're just leading us to the wayside."

Wakeham joined protesters in the morning before question period began, sayingthe premier has a responsibility to stand up and ensure fishermen can prosper in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless also spoke with the crowd, which became more hostile the longer he spoke.

"We've heard it loud and clear in terms of you need outside buyers to come in. We're looking at that," Loveless said between shouts from the crowd. "We are listening. Decisions have to be made.The real challenge is just trying to strike a balance in the fishery, and that's whatwe're trying to do."

Loveless said he'd be open to hearing an outside buying model from the harvesters' union, which led to harvesters hurling expletives at Loveless about theirunion leadership.

Loveless responded by saying he wasn't the enemy of harvesters, to which harvesters shouted he was.

Protest organizer John Efford told CBCNews he was upset not to hear a commitment to free enterprise from Loveless.He said they'll likely have to go in a "different direction" to ensure their voices are heard, but spoke against violence on multiple occasions.

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