Pelagic fishers from southern Gaspésie appeal for help to Ottawa



This decision had been taken, two days before the opening of the commercial herring fishery, by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in order to regenerate the stocks of the two species which would be in critical area.

Since then, pelagic fishermen have received no response from Ottawa, which is slow to decide on possible financial compensation.

According to the president of the Association of Professional Pelagic Fishermen of Southern Gaspésie, Ghislain Collin, a dozen fishermen are currently in a very critical position.

There are many herring and mackerel fishermen in the southern Gaspé, but those who live solely from pelagic fishing, we are talking about a dozen captains. They’ve been hit totally and they got nothing elsehe raises.

In addition to being a fisherman himself, Ghislain Collin is president of the Association of Professional Pelagic Fishermen of Southern Gaspésie.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

Mr. Collin notes that some members of the group are going through a very difficult period.

It is great distress. »

A quote from Ghislain Collin, President of the Association of Professional Pelagic Fishermen of Southern Gaspésie

He recalls that many fishermen had invested in order to prepare for this fishing season which never took place.

The guys got their boats ready, they made investments, they started hiring their deckhands and they started working on the boats.says Mr. Collin.

Fishermen are in a difficult situation.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

He would like the DFO take the time to sit down with each of the fishermen affected by this decision and to see the impact it has had on them.

Each of them is different, has a different boat, different equipment and different needs. […] Even if the DFO told us [de prendre la mer], The evil is already done. The crews have gone elsewhere, everything has to be rebuilt anewemphasizes Ghislain Collin.

According to him, some fishermen hope to have a license buyback and others would like this suspension to be lifted.

Fishermen left behind

Captain Tom Langelier is one of those fishermen who lives only from herring and mackerel fishing.

I don’t know how I’m going to survive in the next few months, it’s a headache. We live from day to day and tomorrow morning, we don’t know what could happen. »

A quote from Tom Langelier, pelagic fisherman

Tom Langelier is one of the fishermen affected by the herring and mackerel fishing ban imposed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

I put all my savings aside to put them in my boat. […] Now my guys, what do I do with them? Good luck, next year we won’t have them. If they could at least issue permits so we could go fishing, it wouldn’t be so bad.he mentions.

For his part, fisherman Norbert Duguay believes that the situation is dramatic for his business.

70 to 80% of my income comes from the pelagic. We are talking about a loss of revenue of $100,000 for my company. I will not be able to get through this period on my own, without the help of the government. »

A quote from Norbert Duguay, fisherman

Norbert Duguay has been a professional fisherman for thirty years.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

His boat was launched on May 10, but since then he has remained at the dock most of the time.

I had a week of fishing and since that time my boat is still at the dock. I’m leaving for two weeks with turbot and that’s all I’ll be able to do as fishinghe admits.

Mr. Duguay affirms that his employees will soon no longer be able to benefit from employment insurance benefits.

The PQ asks Ottawa to act

The elected members of the Parti Québécois (PQ) are putting pressure on Ottawa to find a solution that would allow fishermen to get their heads above water.

We pleaded with the Government of Quebec, with Fisheries Minister André Lamontagne, to put pressure on the federal government. We don’t know if he got an answer, but one thing is certain, at the present time, things have to moveconfirms the deputy of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Joël Arseneau.

You can’t leave people like that to their fate. »

A quote from Joël Arseneau, PQ Member of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Parti Québécois fisheries critic Joël Arseneau also took part in the announcement on Sunday.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

It is important for us to be in support of the pelagic fishermen of the southern Gaspé who are experiencing a season that was very cavalierly suspended by the federal government on the eve of the departurejudge, in turn, the member for Gaspé, Méganne Perry Mélançon.

Passing through the region with the aim of confirming the nomination of Alexis Deschênes as a PQ candidate in Bonaventure, Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon also wanted to reach out to the fishermen.

If I were Prime Minister, we would have a country and since we would have a country, we would have decentralized all the powers surrounding the fisheries on a regional basis. […] There, we have such a terrible example. There is someone in Ottawa who made a decision without notice, without having the scientific basis, and it affects the lives of many fishermensays the PQ leader.

The PQ candidate in Bonaventure, accompanied by his leader, took advantage of his visit to the Newport wharf to shake a few hands.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

Along the same lines, Alexis Deschênes feels that the way fishermen have been treated is inhuman.

It just doesn’t look good to treat people that way. So it’s our job to come and listen to them, to support them and to put pressure on them because right now it’s very disappointing.he admits.

Seriously, I’m outraged when I hear what’s happening to them. […] The Federal Fisheries Minister is [insensible]. »

A quote from Alexis Deschênes, PQ candidate in Bonaventure

Before speaking at a press briefing, PQ candidate Alexis Deschênes and his leader, Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon, went out to sea.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

He reiterates that many fishermen will be forced to obtain social assistance if the status quo remains.

These people, they were ready, they had invested, they had prepared their fishing season. The least the government can do is first give them some support, some income. […] We can’t leave people like that saying ” die, get organized and we’ll move on ”continues Mr. Deschênes.

A disguised moratorium?

According to elected officials, this suspension of fishing by the federal government looks like a moratorium.

A mackerel and herring season has been in the works since November and it was only announced on March 30 that there would be no fishing this year, but we don’t know when fishing will resume either. . We’re not talking about a moratorium, but it looks like a moratorium in disguisesupports Méganne Perry Mélançon.

Méganne Perry Mélançon reminds us that preparing for herring and mackerel fishing requires a lot of time and money (archives).

Photo: Radio-Canada / Perrine Bullant

Joël Arseneau agrees with the ban on fishing.

We don’t even dare to speak of a moratorium, but of a suspension, which means that the federal government does not have to assume its responsibilities with regard to these fishermen whose livelihood is being taken awayhe says.

I did not think that in 2022, we could experience a situation of federal irresponsibility to this extent in the area of ​​fisheries. It’s as if we didn’t exist in Gaspésie and I find that absolutely shameful. »

A quote from Joël Arseneau, PQ Member of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Until now, the DFO indicates that the decision will be reviewed only after the next stock assessment for mackerel and herring.

With information from Isabelle The Rose



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

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