Deadline extended for report into province’s broken fish pricing system (fix not expected anyway)
The province’s Labour department said this morning that the deadline for the committee reviewing this province’s fish price-setting system has been extended by two weeks to Oct. 31st. Translation: no deal yet between the union and processors on how to set the 2024 price of fish to the inshore fleet.
The three-person panel struck in early September to put together the framework for a new fish pricing formula includes chair Glenn Blackwood, Gabe Gregory for the processors, and Bill Broderick for the union. Their report was due Oct. 12th, but has been extended to Oct. 31st.
An arbitrary provincial government deadline means squat in terms of getting both sides to agree to a new pricing formula.
The union/companies will agree when a deal is reached, and not before. (Hopefully, before the start of the 2024 crab season.)
Of course, processors with the ASP are suing/grieving the union for millions in damages from the tie-up, but I’m sure that hasn’t aggravated the historically testy relationship.
This is the second review of the final-offer selection model of fish pricing in as many years, but the terms of reference do not cover all factors that impact the price of fish in Newfoundland and Labrador — from the lack of competition in the processing sector and the power of the cartel to the exclusion of fish pricing from the federal Competition Act.
Read SEA-NL's submission to the review committee at this link: Review of fish pricing system doesn't go far enough; processing cartel/lack of competition ignored
SEA-NL takes the stand that the limitations imposed by the province on the review committee will once again challenge the inshore fleet in moving forward.
Ryan Cleary,
Executive Director, SEA-NL
Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) is a professional, non-profit organization that serves as the distinct voice for licensed, independent owner-operator inshore fish harvesters. Visit sea-nl.ca to join. If you have any issues contact me at sea-nl@outlook.com or 709 682 4862.