SEA-NL has four executive positions up for first-time election: President, Secretary-Treasurer, Captain Over 40’ Fleet, and Captain Under 40’ Fleet. The positions will be for two-year terms and voluntary, with the day-to-day work of the association carried out by a paid staff led by an Executive Director.
To be eligible to run for a position or vote in the election, you must be a licensed, independent owner-operator inshore harvester, and member in good standing of SEA-NL. Go here to join. You must be loyal to the inshore fishery, and all her fleets.
The election will be held during SEA-NL’s Founding Convention on Tuesday, Feb. 8th. The Founding Convention will be virtual, with detailed instructions about how to participate to be e-mailed to all members. The cost of attending the virtual convention is included in the membership fee.
The Founding Convention will include adoption of a Constitution (rules to govern SEA-NL). Find the Constitution here. Members are encouraged to submit proposed amendments to the Constitution by Feb. 4th, but amendments may be considered on the convention floor.
SEA-NL is also accepting resolutions here, and, again, we ask that owner-operators submit them prior to the convention.
An example of a resolution (one that has already been submitted) is for Fisheries and Oceans to change the status of non-core commercial groundfish licences in Newfoundland and Labrador so that they can be sold or handed down.
Another resolution is that the Newfoundland and Labrador government’s Standing Fish Price-Setting Panel that restricts each party to one price reconsideration per species be lifted, and the change be made prior to the start of the 2022 season.
I have been serving as interim Executive Director since Merv Wiseman and I set up SEA-NL in the spring of 2021.
That’s because all hiring/firing decisions will ultimately be up to the SEA-NL leadership, which will hopefully eliminate empire building within the association, and the idea of jobs for life.
SEA-NL isn’t a union, but a professional association similar to the police or nurses associations. It’s just for licensed inshore owner-operators — not crews, and it’s your choice whether to join.
SEA-NL will not negotiate the price of fish, but we’ll definitely have an impact on the final price, and every other issue that impacts an inshore enterprise.
It should have been this way decades ago, but the opportunity will finally present itself on Tuesday, Feb. 8th. Let's make the most of it.
Onwards and upwards,
Ryan Cleary,
Merv Wiseman
SEA-NL
SEA-NL founding convention will be held virtually on Feb. 8th, 2021, and will be open to all owner-operator members in good standing. To join SEA-NL go here.