The Minister is downloading government responsibility to help rural Newfoundland and Labrador on the Fish Licensing Board. Very good Tom - why bother to have a fisheries summit with the province there, when apparently it washes it's hands of all responsibility.
NO fish - NOT OUR FAULT
NO quota's - NOT OUR FAULT
NO license - NOT OUR FAULT
NO FPI in Fortune Harbour Breton Marystown and Ramea.... - NOT OUR FAULT
NO protection of sealers - NOT OUR FAULT
NO custodial management or prevention of oil spills - NOT OUR FAULT
NO joint management of the fishery - NOT OUR FAULT
NO early retirement package - NOT OUR FAULT
A Tomcod for a MInister and a jelly fish for the FEDS with an eel of a Premier
Yes let's process (unelect) underutilized species.
For the people of Ramea I have posted the complete News Release issued by Tom Rideout
Board makes recommendations on all applications for processing licences
"The Fish Processing Licensing Board is arm's length of government," said Minister Rideout. "It is the board that assesses all applications and makes recommendations to me on whether or not a given licence should be issued. That's what the board was established to do. As minister, I have the responsibility to take the decisions of the board very seriously."
The minister said that the Fish Processing Licensing Board was established with the intention of ensuring transparency and to re-establish confidence in government's ability to manage the fishery effectively.
"The need for an arm's length body to make fish processing licensing decisions was the single most common observation during the Dunne report consultations," said the minister. "This was due to uncertainty and unexpected licensing decisions in the past. Therefore, as I have said many times, I won"t overrule the decisions of the board unless it is absolutely warranted.
"In fact, the Opposition complained when the licensing board legislation was moving through the House of Assembly that the minister could indeed overrule board decisions. Our government made an undertaking at that time that we wouldn't ordinarily do that, and since returning to the department last November, I have accepted the board's recommendations in all cases."
Minister Rideout noted that the board advised his department that the current level of landings in the Ramea area are well below resource thresholds that would normally justify an increase in processing capacity. Furthermore, the board indicated that one of the two groundfish operations in nearby Burgeo has elected not to operate this year due to limited availability of raw material. Other processing facilities in the area are also experiencing similar difficulties.
"Based on this advice from the board, adding another processing licence to the area would only increase these problems," said the minister.
The minister added that government must make decisions in the fishery based on sound economic reasons.
"The Opposition has stated that Ramea should be given special consideration based on its isolation and its historical connection to the fishery," said Minister Rideout, "But as a government, we have to act responsibly and make decisions that will protect the industry as a whole. I know this is disappointing for the people of Ramea, but unfortunately we can no longer depend on the fishery as an employer of last resort in areas where the resource simply doesn't support additional capacity."
1 comment:
Why is it... that Tom Rideout's hands are tied by the binding recommendations of an independent panel... but Danny's aren't when it comes to Max Ruelokke?
The ONLY politician who has ever run roughshod over the Atlantic Accord, and tried to breach its black-and-white provisions... IS DANNY WILLIAMS!!!!!
It won't be long now...
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