No charges laid following fish harvesters protest Saturday

More than 200 fish harvesters stood side by side Saturday afternoon to protest a number of issues within the fishing industry including safety concerns over COVID-19.

The atmosphere was tense as protesters filled the parking lot of theFish, Food & Allied Workers'headquarters in St. John's toexpresstheir displeasure with the union's actions on issues like low crab prices, trip limits and lack of federal funding.

The crab season is slated to start Monday.

"What did you do about it? F--king nothing," one protester yelled atFFAWpresident Keith Sullivan.

"Why wouldn't you shut it down?" yelled another.

No charges laid

On Monday, Const. James Cadigan, media relations officer with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, said when officers arrived, the protest was peaceful and the decision was made to close nearby streets to allow harvesters to spread out, rather than use punitive measures.

"Our officers did communicate with the organizers and we certainly let them know that we needed to consider that public safety and health would be the priority," he said.

Cadigan said the officers ensured harvesters understood public health measures and didn't want to create any further concerns.

"From the start of this COVID-19 response, our initial approach is to educate and inform and to work with our community. Like these harvesters, our community is going through a very challenging time, he said.

"With the number of persons on site there, and based on the fact that we were looking at a peaceful group, the officers made the decision to approach [with] the education piece, and open lines of communication certainly helped us to build a relationship with this group."

Concerns overcrab prices

Petty Harbour harvester Ronnie Bidgood said with the cost of bait, licensing fees and other operating costs, it is not financially possible to fish this year with crab selling for $2.90 a pound.

His quota has also gone down to 6,800 pounds of crab because processing plants can't handle as much product because of social distancing measures.

Processors have also instituted weekly limits to keep plants from being overloaded.

Bidgood said he will make less than $20,000 this year.

"It's not feasible for me to go back to work, it's not feasible to go on the water, I am going further in the hole," he said.

Bidgood said the union has told harvesters they are trying to get better prices, but he believes it is impossible in the current financial climate.

"There is no cruise ships, there is no big restaurants, nothing is opening up, nobody is buying any shellfish," he said.

"FFAW has done nothing for us."

Bidgood said that also goes for negotiations with the federal government for financial support.

Harvesters want to see federal support

Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $62.5 million for the fish and seafood sector, but that money was earmarked for processors and not harvesters.

The FFAW said it understands the harvesters' concerns and has been working tirelessly to ensure better conditions for the fishermen.

The union said the blame for the uncertainty and discontent this season must be placed with the Association of Seafood Producers, which has refused to negotiate with fish harvesters on a fair price or scheduling of the fishery.

In April, the ASP's executive director, Derek Butler,accused the FFAWof throwing this year's fishery away bypushing for the federal government to expand employment insurance, rather than get back on the water.

"Right from the very beginning we have had large numbers of committee members working around the clock to try and find a solution," said Sullivan.

"We have put in a detailed proposal for support from the government and they have dragged their heels on it and it's not acceptable."

Sullivan said in addition to asking forextended employment insurance,he has been pushing for betteraccess to wage subsidies and loans and removing fees.

With the crab season opening Monday, Bidgood said it's going to force harvesters to be in an unsafe environment that is not economically feasible.

"They keep telling us that there is a package and they are working on a package, but the fishing is open on Monday, where is the package to?"

Safety concerns

Bidgood said because it is hard to practise safe physical distancing measures on a small boat, it is opening the community up to exposure of the virus.

"It's like opening up a beehive," Bidgood said.

And it wasn't just COVID-19 concerns being expressed by the harvesters;the RNChad their own concerns about so many people gathering in one spot as the harvesters spilled onto nearby Hamilton Avenue.

• A fisheries protest in spring? That's normal, but this one's quite different

About an hour into the protest, the RNC broke up the demonstration.

Mass gatherings are banned under the provincial government's current public health restrictions related to COVID-19.

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