The fisheries minister for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) says he doesn't understand why the union that represents fish harvesters is picking an unnecessary fight, reports SaltWire News.
Gerry Bryne was responding to a press release issued Wednesday (Sept. 25) by the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) that claimed former NL fisheries minister Elvis Loveless indicated, in an Oct. 23, 2023 letter to federal fisheries minister Diane Lebouthillier that the province supported Canada's decision to shelve a promise to allocate the first 115,000 metric tons of a renewed commercial northern cod fishery for the inshore fleets.
FFAW president Greg Pretty asked for a clarification from premier Andrew Furey on the matter, as reported by Undercurrent News.
However, the union selected just one line from the Loveless letter, spinning it into something that was out of context, Byrne offered.
In a letter on Aug. 1, 2024, right after he became the province's new fisheries minister, Byrne wrote Letbouthillier, telling her that the decision to reopen the commercial cod fishery was a mistake.
"The longstanding policy that the first 115,000 (metric tonnes) quota of northern cod must exclusively go to the inshore must be preserved," Byrne stated in his letter to Lebouthillier, reported SaltWire.
Recall that the FFAW has applied to Canada's federal court, seeking an injunction to overturn Letbouthillier's decision to reopen a commercial fishery for northern cod, thereby allowing access to offshore fleets, as reported by Undercurrent.
The province welcomes the judicial review, said Byrne.
Piicking fights and providing misinformation is not an appropriate action for the union to take right now, Byrne said.
"They appear to be looking for a ghost to fight here in Newfoundland and Labrador, when what we all need to be doing is working together … towards getting better management of our fisheries for the benefit of Newfoundland and Labrador," Byrne is quoted as saying by SaltWire.
"Their press release and their interpretation of the letter from Elvis Loveless served nobody from in this province any good," said Byrne.
"It was false. It was wrong. It was unnecessary and I'm asking FFAW to retract their comments," Byrne declared.
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