John Cummins, M.P. Delta-South Richmond

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2000

Fishermen in Both Newfoundland and PEI Lose Out
Shrimp Deal A Political Diversion and Pay-off

OTTAWA--"Granting P.E.I. 1,500t of Newfoundland shrimp has Fisheries Minister Dhaliwal acting like Jane Stewart in fishnet stockings and a sou'wester," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-South Richmond).

"But not a shrimp, let alone 1,500t, will be landed in P.E.I. This is all about political payoffs and political favours, nothing more."

News reports suggest the allocation is expected to provide for the professionalization of fishermen, to augment shellfish research and to aid in market development and promotion of P.E.I. seafood products.

The reality is Liberal M.P.s from P.E.I. are seen as ineffective in holding the Minister to account for his mismanagement of the Malpeque Bay fishery in light of the Marshall decision and are using the occasion to present themselves as victorious political warriors able to wrest shrimp away from a reluctant Minister. And Rory McLellan, head of the P.E.I. Fishermen's Association, is rewarded for applauding the Minister's disregard for the lobster and fishermen of Malpeque Bay. One can only imagine the benefits Liberals hope to acquire as a result of their generosity to Polar Foods and others.

The shrimp quota is estimated to be worth about $800,000. The proceeds will be divided equally between a yet to be named consortium, reportedly headed up by Polar Foods, and Rory Mclellan's P.E.I. Fishermen's Association. About $150,000 of the Fishermen's Association share is to be directed to the Veterinary College in Charlottetown for lobster research.

"The College's valuable research deserves government funding," said Cummins. "But it should not have been drawn into this scam merely to provide political cover for ineffectual Liberal M.P.s."

"The decision to allocate shrimp quota, as if it were an HRDC grant, has backfired. Ignoring the adjacency principle has shut Newfoundland fishermen out of a fishery in their backyard and left P.E.I. fishermen without a shrimp to catch."

"Better to have given P.E.I. fishermen a share of the 12% increase announced for the Gulf of St. Lawrence shrimp fishery," concluded Cummins. It could have created jobs for fishermen and processors in P.E.I. Real fishermen want access to fish not professionalization grants."

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For more information, please contact:

John Cummins, M.P.
(613) 992-2957
(604) 970-0937 (Cell)