SEA-NL up and running as ‘distinct voice’ of skippers, licensed inshore owner-operators

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, Feb. 22nd, 2022

Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) elected its first executive during a founding convention earlier this month, and the Board’s first order of business was to hire an Executive Director.

“Licensed inshore harvesters finally have an organization to serve as their distinct voice, and their voice alone,” says Jason Sullivan, a Bay Bulls fisherman who was elected SEA-NL President during the virtual convention.

Other members of the SEA-NL executive include: Bruce Layman of Carbonear, Secretary-Treasurer; Preston Grandy of Garnish, Captain Under 40’ Fleet; and Kenneth Courtney of Francois, Captain Over 40’ Fleet.

As well, Merv Wiseman, an outspoken advocate for fishing vessel safety/search and rescue, will serve on the board in an ex-officio capacity.

SEA-NL’s new Board met recently, and its first order of business was to hire Ryan Cleary to serve as Executive Director. Cleary, who along with Wiseman spent months organizing SEA-NL, also led the FISH-NL union movement, served as a Member of Parliament, and is a career journalist.

During SEA-NL’s convention eight resolutions were passed by the membership to help guide the organization in terms of policy.

Resolutions included: changing DFO policy so that non-core groundfish licenses can be sold/transferred; increased search and rescue for Labrador; allowing for more price reconsiderations under the province’s panel system of fish pricing; a ban on bottom-trawling for cod in 3Ps; the adoption of the adjacency principle; a standard fishing vessel-length policy for Atlantic Canada; a no-discard policy for this province’s herring fishery; and a change to allow for hook and line in marine protected areas.

Find the resolutions here: https://www.sea-nl.ca/convention2021

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Contact: Ryan Cleary sea-nl@outlook.com sea-nl.ca