,

. /

Newfoundland

and Labrador

Round Table

, : on the Environment
Confederation PO Box 8700, Tel: (709)

and the Economv

Building, West Block St; Johns, NF Al B 4J6, @OS) 729-1930 . /

729-0047Fax:

E-mail: ihealey@env.gov.nf.ca .

National -.

Round Table

Table ronde nationale sur Ienvironnement et l&nomie

on the Environment and the Economy

1 Nicholas

St., Suite 1500

Ottawa,

Ontario,.Canada,

Kl N 7B7

Tel: (613)

992-7189

Fax: (613)992-7385

E-mail: nrtee@eb.apc.org /

The views expressed herein are those of the a&hors-and or their members.

editors, and do not necessarily and Labrado; Round Table

represent those of the National Round Table, the Newfoundland

This report is printed paper containing content including

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eport of the Partnership on ustainable Coastal Communities Marine Ecosystems in ewfoundland and Labrador

October 1995

Preface

The collapse of the cod fishery off the coast of Newfoundland ment. The impacts and implications 1994, both the National Labrador on an ecosystem,

and Labrador

is a classic example of unsustainable

develop-

on an economy

and on a way of life never seem to stop. In the fall of (NRTEE) and the Newfoundland and marine ecosystems and in

Round Table on the Environment

and the Economy

Round Table on the Environment

and the Economy of the sustainability

(NLRTEE) decided to collaborate of coastal communities

on a project that would

look at the fish crisis from the perspective Newfoundland and Labrador.

The NRTEE intended the current as a method moratorium

this to be a case study, from the viewpoint on northern

of the affected communities,

in which the crisis created by investigated. The decision-making

cod could be analyzed and the prospects of promoting level. at the community

for future sustainability

NLRTEE shared these goals and also saw the potential of planning for sustainability

the round table model for consensus

To this end, both Round Tables selected two of their members from the fishing industry avoid any suggestion sentatives, Bernadette in the province.

to create a small task force, augmented

by three members nature and to repre-

The effort was named a partnership or another government

to reflect its collaborative

that this was a commission

committee.

One of the fishing industry

Dwyer from the Fogo Island Fishers Co-operative, on Sustainable Coastal Communities

agreed to chair the partnership. and Labrador is debates,

The Report of the Partnership

and Marine Ecosystems in Newfoundland

the most tangible result of this process. It is the voice of the communities that this voice gets as wide an audience deliberations and decisions surrounding these vital issues.

and both Round Tables believe it is important to the ongoing

as possible, not only for what it says but as a contribution

Stuart L. Smith, and the Economy

M.D., Chair

Judith Rowe& Chair Newfoundland Environment and Labrador Round Table on the and the Economy

National Round Table on the Environment

Partnership

membership:

Wilfred Bartlett, fisher Tom Best, fisher Bernadette Dwyer, Fogo Island Fishers Co-operative, (Chair) Diane Griffin, former NRTEE Member and Executive Director of the P.E.I. Nature Trust Elizabeth May, NRTEE Member and Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada Mary OBrien, NLRTEE Member andfish plant owner Martin von Mirbach, NLRTEE Member and Sustainable Development Centre for Forest and Environmental Studies Chair,

Scientific Advisor: Professor Jon Lien, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Dr. Steve Thompson, former Senior Policy Advisor, NRTEE Secretariat Sean Kelly, former Policy Analyst, NLRTEE Secretariat

Dedication

This report is dedicated to all those who so willingly attended our meetings and shared their thoughts with us.

The fishery was more than a job. It was our life.

lNTRODUCTlON
It is fair to say that this enterprise was a bit of an experiof entering the run for two to three hours, more often ran for four or more. In the evenings, ment for both round tables. The prospect Neither munities attracting preliminary We a different we held public sessions often participants but in general sessions group. In the evening, we shared the from the stakeholder these appeared engaging some afternoon conclusions

fishery debate was viewed by some as problematic. round table had ever before gone into small comto explore public views on sustainability. conscious of the need to bring someand not merely to repeat pre-

and tested for whether other members anything

accurate to the for

of the community.

As well, we probed

were all extremely vious efforts.

we had missed in the afternoon.

thing new to the discussion,

Despite any such initial concerns, emphatically

we have to report most we visited. We

that our process was seen as unique and Community

valuable by people in the 13 communities enlisted the services of the Extension Development Co-operative

in St. Johns to do logistics in each

and advance work. Thanks to their efforts, we were able to identify and personally community meeting. interest extended invite all key stakeholders includes and indeed within a small radius of each The term stakeholders all with an Participation although the At a typical

in the survival of the community. well beyond the fishing industry, the discussion.

fishery tended to dominate meeting,

we would have everyone

from a local MHA or fish-plant Our meetings began in February and wrapped up in early

cabinet member

to the RCMP, schoolteachers,

workers and fishers, womens committee local TAGS (The Atlantic Groundtish council. We generally held meetings the afternoon, least a rectangle interaction. ly discussion. In each community, of questions, sustainable questions we organized to speak through assembled around

representatives, of town in

Strategy) counselwith stakeholders

June. We faced just about all the travel obstacles one can imagine in coastal Newfoundland Fogo, fogged in at St. Anthony, whiteouts tality everywhere ence magnificent we were iced in in in blizzard warm hospito experiengulfed

lors, clergy, gas station owners and members

a round table, or at

on the highways. We experienced

of square tables, to allow more direct had several opportunities as well as engaging in a livego-arounds,

we went and wish to extend thanks to all scenery, towering icebergs and inquisisession

Every stakeholder

who did so much for us. We were privileged

tive caribou and moose. We started our February discussion around the with a cluster of meetings province, continued Harbour.

along the south coast of the In March, we

same agenda (included

in the appendix).

Through

a series and

the island of Ramea, St. Georges, Burnt Islands with meetings on Fogo Island, in St. Johns and up at

we explored

what had made the community again in the future. These of peoples hopes, planned to although

and La Scie on the Baie Verte Peninsula.

in the past, what made it unsustainable were followed by discussion These sessions,

what could make it sustainable fears and concerns.

in Renews and a meeting with the young people of Petty In early May, we visited Cooks Harbour Peninsula, the Northern and then flew to coastal Labrador

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

with meetings held meetings communities ing industry government

in Forteau and Makkovik. in Marystown were selected to represent and different as well as communities consultations,

In late May, we geographic

distillation

of the most frequently

heard recommenda-

and Bay de Verde. These

tions from communities. how powerful

We had not originally realized

it would be for people facing the same crisis for the future. But, in parts of

regions of the province,

sectors of the fishnot frequented by

but relatively isolated from each other to be brought together to explore their options

and, of course, communities

our view, this became one of the most gratifying the experience. democracy will continue and sustainability and flourish. planning,

which were dependent Following

on the fishery. meetings, we held

From the point of view of grass-roots we hope that the our meetings through

the full series of community

a large wrap-up

session in St. Johns on Oceans Day, June representatives conclusions, from each of the attempting a

process started in each community

8. We invited community

places in which we had held sessions. At this session we tested some of our preliminary

I-IAT SUSTAINABLE
In this Partnership, throughout conversation

I
to examine the sustainand marine ecosystems and Labrador, we started the by asking the question, sustainable in the past?

established

ability of coastal communities Newfoundland in each community

What made your community That question Without Partnership,

is totally caught up in the life of the ocean. in every community visited by the the first answer was Fish! Over and over, was the essence of the fishery as the of Newfoundlanders. It

exception,

we were told, The fishery was more than a job. It was our life. In that statement defining

force for generations

defined what they did for a living but, arguably more important, it defined their sense of identity, their culture, some

their pride in themselves hundreds inhospitable

as a distinct and hardworking

people. It was the fishery that led their ancestors,

of years before, to cling to life on the rocky and coast. and some people in the sus-

Many outside Newfoundland, communities tion in the question

we visited, challenge the implicit assumpWhat made your community

tainable? Many would assert that these communities were never sustainable. But when posing a question in communities before the about

the past we found that the discussion predominance dependency. residents of social programs,

moved back in time, before Confederation,

before government what had

It was to those early times that community in describing

most often returned

made them sustainable. In assessing the term sustainable, needed. To our Partnership, mous with lucrative
Fish,:ng banks

some benchmarks

are

sustainable

is not synonyReport (the

or profitable

or able to survive.

off Newfoundland

We adopt the definition

and Labrador

of the Brundtland

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

the harp seal harvest, that sustained communities. The fishery that sustained small outport communities

hundreds

of small

Newfoundland

and Labradors

was not merely based on one The

species, nor did it follow one seasonal fishing pattern. commercial

fishery itself was more than cod. Early fishand seals; later, turbot, flounto include, among

eries focussed as well on salmon, herring the range of species caught broadened der, squid and shrimp. World Commission 1987) which defined sacrificing needs. For the most part, the coastal communities, Brundtland years. In the beginning, European or at least at the point of initial were definition, have been sustainable by the for 500 on Environment sustainable and Development, as that without generation and geography. winter inshore schooner others, lobster, capelin, redfish, lumpfish, mined by climate, ice conditions, development

The types of fishery were deteravailability of species offshore offshore fish-

There were ice-free coastal areas with a fishery, as well as an extended

which meets the needs of the current

fishery that pre-dated

the modern-day

the ability of future generations

to meet their

fishery. The south coast of the province, Basques to Trepassey,

from Port aux

was one such winter inshore

ery. It was an ice-free coast with a 50-week fishery, including the offshore schooner fishery. In other words, it on a year-round basis. offered nearly full employment,

contact, the waters off Newfoundland abundant.

unbelievably Newfoundland

When John Cabot first sailed to accounts reported

in I497 contemporary quantity of European

such an enormous

of cod that the sheer mass of vessels. The entire

fish slowed the progress marine ecosystem diminished to modern

was rich in a way so fundamentally eyes that it merits some note.

The seabird colonies were such a feature of the Atlantic coastal ecosystem approached that early explorers knew they had flocks

land through

the noisy and prodigious

of birds. Whales in profusion

filled the seas, along with to rememFrom St. Johns north and to the Labrador provinces east coast communities coast, the

seals and many species of fish. It is important ber that the ecosystem tem found by Europeans residence, anything the Beothucks. exterminated great auk -

itself is more than cod. The ecosysincluded humans no longer in

had a more seasonal ice conditions, different. the pattern

fishery. There, due to prevalent of life in the fishery was distinctly

It included

a flightless bird, the abunin

People were But just as the

for its eggs, its oil, its feathers, There was an industry walrus. The The bowhead and are still

able to fish seasonally in the groundfishery. pations, both for cash and subsistence, alive. A major traditional

that could be derived from this extremely creature. Islands based on hunting Labrador.

fishery was seasonal, so too were a myriad of other occuthat kept the activity was the by a seasonal seal at

dant and defenceless the Magdalene

communities

Basques ran a major whaling station, the largest in the world, at Red Bay in southern and right whales -were extremely nearly exterminated,

seal hunt: income was supplemented fishery in much of the province. the community a time. The fishery on the western

As well, men would leave

to work in the woods, some for months

rare. Other whale species, such as humpbacks, but in the cod the centuries,

fins and blues, were also seriously over-hunted, more recent times. But through fishery was sustainable.

coast was roughly similar to

It was the cod fishery, along with

that of the east coast. In recent years, they had redfish,

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

flounder,

herring,

halibut and shrimp,

but for the most

Even though the economy

had been somewhat

developed the

part they too were dependent

on cod. They too were

with mines, pulp mills and small-scale Dominion bankrupt of Newfoundland The economy with a thriving

manufacturing,

reliant on a host of other seasonal activities that supplemented seasons. Life was never easy in Newfoundlands early days of settlement, ment, the merchant outports. In the incomes and larders during the non-fishing

was by 1933 essentially was established to study was, however, merchant increasingly prepared to

and a royal commission

the situation. diversified, even before there was a governheld a monopThey

marine as well as a (who became the wanted to

few mines and pulp mills. As Newfoundland enter Confederation, first Premier Joey Smallwood of the Province of Newfoundland)

class ruled. Merchants

oly over virtually every aspect of the local economy. set the price for fish they bought munity, munity,

change the subsistence were not modern, primitive solution conditions

lives of fishers and farmers. They in his view. The desire to end the of outport life led to the drastic The industrial brought to many parts of onto notion

from fishers in the com-

they set the price for goods bought by the comand they extended credit, allowing fishers to buy of next seasons fish. Women part of their surwith raison were dependent was supplemented

of attempted

forced resettlement. Economic However, opportunities

staple items on the promise vival. Small-scale gardening

model was pursued. some additional rural Newfoundland.

diversification

kept gardens which were an important ing livestock. The gardens themselves the sea, as they were fertilized

economic

the policy of industrial-

ization was a futile attempt an already dying industrial

to graft Newfoundland body. It was a romantic

with seaweed, fish offal and barter

capelin. An informal economy munitys

that ignored the realities of the market. Thus, many of these post-Confederation down or drastically moratorium. of economic developments shut

added to the comsurvival with a great

reduced

employment

prior to the cod after the answer came

deal of work done by the women medicinal spinning, knitting,

So in some communities,

that fish had made their community other answers: an infrastructure including an attempt Throughout Labradors

sustainable,

butter-making,

preparing

We used to have a mine and We used did develop importance, etc., in that was of paramount

herbs, etc. The fishin on

to have jobs on the railway. Confederation

ery itself involved the whole family, with men bringing the cod, women working the flakes, children cod tongues. Bartering

roads, bridges, schools, cottage hospitals, to remedy 400 years of neglect. most of the history of Newfoundland small coastal communities, brought
1949,

cutting out of serand there was no social in the old-age pen-

vices, such as boat-building and other forms of skilled labour, involved a complicated set of craftsman-client tionships ties. There were few idle moments life. Over the last periods
500

safety net. As Confederation sion and other benefits communities beginnings grams overnight. after

life did change. But the on social prowas we visited, the of fish in the region,

rela-

did not become of the dependency

dependent

that added to the of the communioutport

In the communities

sustainability

on social programs

in traditional

linked with the decline of availability as well as to the buildup and early 1980s.

of the fishery in the late 1970s

years there were a number

of notable Whether romanticizing the past or accurately reflecting our meetings comthe change in values, many people attending expressed prosperity

of severe deprivation,

caused by a variety of facthe decline in markets

tors including

wars, depressions,

and localized fluctuations were hard indeed. From the beginning, abundance

in the availability of fish. Times

the belief that there had been a stronger

munity spirit in those bygone days before the relative of recent years. They recall greater co-operawe had in the past was tightly knit. We seasonality and natural variability By the was Newfoundland in tion. The community

of resources

created severe problems.

Everyone helped each other. We had a great deal of bartering. And weve lost it in the name of prosperity. started living according to want instead of need.

20th century, pre-Confederation already troubled

by the seasonal nature of the fishery.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

In discussing

the past sustainability

of coastal communidates that were referred 1949 Confederation program of the of the

munities

that depended

upon it, ceased to be sustainable. drastically as was described when

ties, there were certain watershed to again and again as benchmarks. -

But the scene changed

we moved into the next phase of our discussion What made your community unsustainable?

by asking,

was such a date, as was the resettlement

late 1960s. Then there was 1977 and the extension 200-mile Exclusive Economic

Zone by Canada. We heard insurance real-

a range of dates as to when unemployment the fishery, ranging through

ly took hold and began to play a role in decisions

about

WHAT MADE OUR COMMUNITIES UNSUSTAINABLE?

Just as every community sustainability answered the question of past

the late 1970s and early

1980s. Then, of course, there was the moratorium announcement on July 2,1992.

with a resounding

chorus of Fish!, so too economic, social

did they ascribe their current Although

perilous

and cultural status to the collapse of the codfish stocks. the focus of our Partnership for future sustainability, was to define we also had a mancrisis as a case But,

opportunities

date to examine study of potential

the current Newfoundland

benefit to other fishing economies.

more fundamentally, future sustainability

it was simply not possible to discuss without a full debate about the causes upon which hunfor hundreds

of the collapse of the valuable resource dreds of fishing communities of years.

had depended

It should surprise no one that community dominated In identifying what had made the community dependency sustainable, these twin issues of strong community absence of government comments Community of round-table residents participants. frequently to the fact values and an ranked high in the Over the past two decades these incredibly have been brought

meetings

were

by the issues of the fishery and its demise. rich cod stocks One of the to the brink of extinction. resources,

worlds greatest protein taining annual landings

once capable of sus-

of more than 250,000 to 350,000

also referred

metric tons (M/T), has been allowed to decline to virtual oblivion. mirrored ground&h This annihilation species. of the northern cod has been in other

that historically,

fishing technology

had been fairly limited fishery, we to

in its ability to eradicate

fish. Over and over, we heard

by only slightly less serious decreases

that if we had stayed with a hook-and-line

would have a lucrative fishery today. The fishery was sustainable for so long because we lacked the technology be totally destructive. has characterized When we acquired around 1950, we began the destruction fisheries throughout of resources that technology, that

900 .,

,_

2J3KL COD

the world. In Burnt

Islands, one resident fish. He referred the inshore come inshore. centrations

recalled: (In earlier times) we

caught fish. We got into trouble when we started hunting here to the relatively passive nature of to chase the
200 i, . 100 .; ; ,_. ._ ._ . . .

cod fishery. The fishers waited for the cod to They lacked the technology to track them down in great conareas. Fish as we hunt them
p ii, t;t 0 ,z ..t.tt b~.-.kI ,-I .-,-I ,:, -I , I., I-I 1 ! 1 I I I 1 . I1 1985 1990 1995 1970 1975 1960 1965 1980 YEAR

fish out to the offshore,

in the spawning

now have few places to hide. But the fishery was changing defining moment rapidly. There was no one

when the fishery, and the coastal com-

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Members

of fishing-dependent

communities

are outraged fish-

Up until the late 1950s or early 196Os, with the exception of a small schooner Canadians fleet out of Nova Scotia, the only small-

that this could have happened eries management. cries of warning communities Moreover,

in an era of modern

We heard over and over again that the from the small inshore fishing-dependent believe as the crisis worsened. that communities

fishing the stock were Newfoundland their traditional

boat fishers pursuing inshore. The northern

way of life, i.e. the in

were ignored

cod stocks were also traditionally and France. The introduction primarily

we heard repeatedly

fished by Spain, Portugal the 1960s of deep-sea of European draggers) offshore

their views are still ignored believe that when a resource becomes commercially causes of such devastation never repeated.

by those in power. They of such historic be identified, abundance that the and

heavily powered-vessels,

origin, equipped

with otter trawls (known as harvest. The

extinct, it is important

ended the inshores abundant

discussed

dragger fleet was capable of fishing in deeper accessible and of locating huge concentra-

water than had been previously and exploiting in hunting tions of cod wherever

fashion -

Historical (i) ln~skore

overview

they assembled.

Historical northern

record indicates

that fixed-gear

landings

of

cod from the beginning of the deep-sea

of the 20th century until dragger fleets in the late

the introduction I95Os, sustained MIT.

an annual harvest of 250,000 to 350,000

This harvest was achieved within the constraints existing technology ated with the preparation

of the

and the limits set by the labour associof salt fish. The annual harvest These such in the The invasion of foreign draggers in the early 1960s comupon the spawning aggregations. mitted a massive assault record indiany a one-time-only

was always subject to some degree of fluctuation. fluctuations were related to a variety of factors chaos of two World Wars. historical as the price collapse in the I89Os, the depression 193Os, the economic Notwithstanding

The peak catch was an astronomical these fluctuations, landings apparently anomalous cates that fixed-gear of cod could, without excessively high landings declines in Newfoundlands a mere fraction Inshore

800,000 M/T in 1968,

spike on the graph. These

by foreign draggers led to drastic inshore fishery, reducing it to high sustainable catches.

decrease in abundance, sure to a magnitude

sustain fishing pres-

of 350,000 M/T.

of its historically

seasons became shorter. of longliners,

The fishers responded mainly the of

with their own technological

innovations,

Northern Cod Catches 4875 - 1992

introduction

giving the inshore mobility inshore landings

up to 50 miles from shore. Even with enormous in fishing effort, however, ous declines far deeper than anything ed. Catches fell in 1974, for example, previously

increases record-

suffered seri-

to 35,000 M/T.

(ii) 200-mile The crisis brought

limit on by overfishing by foreign draggers zone in as an strategies

led Canada to declare a 200-mile management opportunity to rebuild the stocks and establish long-term

1977. The 200-mile limit was viewed enthusiastically aimed at ensuring viability. As we heard in

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

many communities, a Klondike

the post-1977

period was typified by had caught mea-

expansion

of the Canadian

offshore

industry

was mandat-

mentality.

If the foreigners

ed. Hundreds and indirect

of millions of federal tax dollars of direct assistance were poured into offshore vessels,

800,000 M/T, surely, under Canadian

conservation With

sures, a catch of 400,000 M/T was reasonable. improved significantly bonanza technology,

gear and plants. In 1979, the Canadian on the southwest Scotia) was deliberately offshore dragger fleet (based largely and in Nova cod providinto the northern

an annual catch of 400,000 M/T,

higher than historic catch levels, would be a

for Newfoundland. and management rationale for a 400,000

coast of Newfoundland introduced

The scientific

stock(s) for the first time. The federal government ed subsidies through duction essentially

M/T per year catch was set forth in the Fisheries ministers Policy for Canadas Commercial 1976 in anticipation Fisheries, released in of the 200-mile limit. The policy was the northern cod growth in a harvest at

on fuel and fish and tried to ensure success

various devices. One such device was the introin 1982 of Enterprise Allocations (EA), which cod. gave the holder title to so much northern a shift from the notion of a common and resultof of the rest. 100 the retention

to serve as a guide for rebuilding stock(s). historical adopted

Its stated objective was to engender biomass capable of sustaining levels. The management

This represented property resource

the spawning

to one of a private resource

strategy of FO. 1 was

ed in the practice of high-grading

to facilitate achieving the policy goal. Simply, the an annual harvest of about 20%

only the most valuable fish and the discarding

FO. 1 target would permit of the exploitable biomass.

Also, in the early 198Os, DFO licensed approximately inshore, from the Port au Choix area on the Northern

i.e. 45- to 65-foot, draggers. These vessels were Peninsula.

The target spawning the amount Commission estimated

biomass

of 1.5 million M/T was a biomass was

goal to be achieved by 1982. This spawning

They were licensed to drag for fish on Newfoundlands southwest coast. meetings, the post-1977

necessary by the International Atlantic Fisheries of northern (ICNAF) to

for Northwest

create a sustainable Department

level of harvest. Based on its projeccod, the

As we heard in our community enthusiasm brought 1987-88, there were roughly By the time of the moratorium ber had doubled or, including

tions of the rate of rebuilding

many people into the fishery. In 10,000 people in the fishery. announcement, that num-

of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) forecast a

Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 402,000 M/T by 1985.

those in fish plants,

tripled. In a social context, something potentially

there was a marked shift from of last resort to and something advanced,

the fishery being seen as the employer more technologically profitable.

The government

gave out lucrative

licences for species that were only fished over a very short season, such as squid and capelin. policy through As well, government the Fisheries Loan Board made it possible help what many

for just about anybody to buy a boat. Many fish plants were also being built with government in communities Members of the House of Assembly now recall cynically as a great way for to get re-elected. acceptance of a seain as

This period also saw the widespread

sonal fishery coupled with unemployment These and other optimistic projections of rapid stock The fishthe off-season. distributed expectations incomes Labrador. Government dependency

insurance increased

recovery created near-euphoria ing-dependent communities

in the industry.

more people came into the fishery, more licences were and more fish plants were built. Material grew as people became accustomed and to higher and greater buying power. Rising expectations North Americans in general now expect air

were told that under a 200-

mile limit there was going to be so much fish that the inshore would not be able to catch it all. In the expectation-of landings at least comparable to those of the 195Os,

are, of course, not unique to Newfoundland

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

conditioning incomes

in summer

and access to microwaved on government

food

There had never been a failure in the inshore nitude experienced stock collapsed Compounding

of the mag-

and satellite communications. rose and dependency

But as the fishery grew, became

in the 1980s other than when the

after foreign overfishing. the problem, smaller cod were being stock was in serivisited a num-

part of the social fabric, with real costs to long-term sustainability. In hindsight, it is easy to see that management overly optimistic. strategies of Yet an caught. This indicator were themselves spawning entire industry The estimates estimates. that the spawning Our Partnership

ous trouble was ignored.

ber of fish plants where we toured the idle equipment. There was abundant adapted new filleting machine processing evidence of the way an industry A capable of replacing also or and continued to profit from a dying resource. had been purchased,

biomass were only that -

was rebuilt, Canadianized,

and restruc-

tured on the basis of the estimate was in underestimating the entire ecosystem pre-200-mile in our community foreign overfishing

of a 400,000 M/T fishery it

by 1985. If there was one single failing in this period,

smaller cod while simultaneously

the damage that had been done to due to the foreign draggers in the

eight to ten people in the fish plant. The industry adapted to smaller fish by shipping

out cod that had been

limit period. The irony was raised frequently meetings that once having banished from within our 200-mile limit, the foreign example of over-

merely headed and gutted for later drying in Denmark Portugal. Two clear warning individual catch -were indicators the reduced size of the

Canada set out to duplicate fishing with damaging

technology.

fish landed plus the overall drop in the inshore ignored. If they had been canaries in the

coal mine, by analogy, the miners would have had to push

(iii)

Drastic

declines

in inshore

catches

aside the dead birds to get at the coal. As we heard over and over in small communities, inshore fishers were told draggers were by the government be doing something continuing regulators that it was they who must

The stock may have managed 1982. The TAC increased

to grow slowly from 1978 to

from 135,000 M/T in 1978 to in catches the idea that a

wrong, as the offshore

266,000 M/T in 1984. Small improvements under Canadian experience management reinforced

to bring in large catches. The irony is that the that was wiping out the

very efficiency of the technology and greater mobility

boom time had arrived. However, declining

the inshore began to

cod stocks acted to mask the crisis. As sonar and radar allowed even the inshore to improve of

catches before the same problem From a peak in 1982, despite vastly

began to occur in the offshore. inshore increased catches dropped

catches, the level of landed cod gave a false impression the health of the resource as a whole.

dramatically

effort in that sector. The decline was unique.

(iv) Warnings of crisis

Many fishers, plant workers and concerned dependent attempts on the inshore the drastic decline in inshore

citizens

fishery raised the alarm about catches. We heard of their officials to

to gain the ear of various government equipment dragger fleet into the harbour

and of direct action in dumping the inshore

connected at Port aux

Basques. There were sit-ins and protests of the inshore yield remained young journalist meeting Even in the worst years, 1890 to 1924, the inshore caught less than 180,000 M/T in 1987 and rarely dropped never declining inshore

during the period

catches, steep descent, while the offshore within the expected range. Moreover, as a recalled in one of our sessions, in every fishers blamed the draggers for to proto draggers never catches and urged government

she attended,

three times the landings below 225,000 M/T.

tect the stocks. Yet the references minutes of the meeting.

seemed to make it to the evening news, or even to the The failure of those within com-

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

munities

who tried in vain to avert the crisis has had the effect of creating a sense of powerlessness. in

Committee

(CAFSAC) concluded

in 1989 that the previ-

undesirable

ous years FO.l level was actually 125,000 M/T and not 293,000 M/T. Federal government concluded additional 20%, bringing scientists on CAFSAC of FO.l to

The view that you cant fight city hall was reinforced spades by the way the views of inshore missed out of hand. Powerlessness unsustainability. Community Association frustration concerns, Memorial views on these matters (NIFA), founded fishers were disto

that FO. 1 must be revised down by an their calculations

contributes

100,000 MIT. are borne out by hisInshore Fishers to a growing and their from audit of As many in communities recall with real emotion, the
lost our fish. The UI kept people If not for UI, we would not have

torical record. The Newfoundland

in response

issue of setting the quota was more than a scientific matter. A decision to drastically reduce the quota was ultimately the Fisheries ministers to make. The political nature of decision making was seen by many as one of the proximate causes of the decline of the fishery. Where politicians had for the last decade used the fishery to get re-elected, they were not interested conservation measures in that that set

that no one spoke for the inshore went so far as to commission University to conduct In December biologists a technical

its own study.

satisfied

and

kept them

from

NIFA hired a group of independent DFOs assessments. Keats Report lations were incorrect

complaining

as the stocks

went

1986, they fned the and calcuassessments

down

again.

And

then

the gov-

concluding

that DFOs methods

and were producing

ernment

would

use that

against

that greatly overestimated the report asserted, timated

the size of the stock. As a result, was largely underesover-

fishing mortality

us. Wed

tell them

the fish were

and, in fact, the stock was being drastically

fished. But in 1987 and 1988, despite these warnings, DFO actually set a higher TAC. Although it seems clear that the views of the inshore fish-

going

down,

and

theyd

say,

But

everyone

in your

area

qualified

would accomplish

the reverse.
for UI . B The mare we became

ers were ignored on issues of setting quotas and allocations, it is not so clear that they were without effect. One analysis presented the large corporations to us concluded any political that while

While DFO calculated

the 1989 TAC should be

dependent an government, the

100,000 M/T, the minister the TAC at 235,000 MIT.

held sway over political decisions from fishers was In terms of to qualify

relating to the TAC, the political pressure dealt with through long-term defeating improved sustainability,

less our voice

was

heard.

social programs.

By July 1992, the moratorium

Fisher ot Forieau communify Labrador

this appears to have been a selfkept people in the fishery, In every

on the fishing of northern was declared. munities attribute repeatedly we visited do not the moratorium

cod

stokeholders

meeting,

strategy. Fewer weeks work required insurance

Many in comto a political decision. We heard

for unemployment about the declining community

quelling what would have been louder howls of protest cod stocks in the inshore. we visited, many believed that complacency social programs was a major con-

that the moratorium Internationals

was not declared until draggers came back

Fisheries Products

created by government tributor to the current

empty. As one fisher said bitterly, FPI declared the moratorium.

state of unsustainability.

(v) Acknowledgement

of crisis realized that They

It was not until 1989 that federal scientists acknowledged they thought,

there were serious errors in the stock assessments. actual fishing mortality

that because the stock was smaller than since 1979 was dou-

ble the target level of FO.l. In other words, the stock was dramatically The Canadian smaller than predicted, Atlantic Fisheries and certainly not sufficient to justify a TAC in 1988 of 266,000 MIT. Scientific Advisory

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosvstems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

an environmental

assessment

before it should ever be

used again. Many argued that draggers should simply be banned. A number expressed Partnership. of things are remarkable in the 13 communities about the views visited by our views on many on a numenvironmenTypical of those comments was the following It is the for the colsustainmisre-

from a fisher at our Burnt Islands meeting: dragger technology that is most responsible

For all the widely divergent appeared

lapse of the cod stocks. It leads to catches beyond able levels, it has huge by-catches, porting and misjudgment and encourages of stocks.

topics, the communities

unanimous

ber of points. Not once did anyone suggest that the collapse of the cod fishery was due to abnormal tal conditions, Repeatedly through we were told that the process of dragging areas must have been damaging to the such as cold water. Not once did anyone spawning

suggest the collapse was due to the actions of foreign fleets outside the ZOO-mile limit. Not once did anyone suggest that seals had eaten all the cod. Nor did anyone in communities advance the theory that the cod stocks had merely gone somewhere In our individual capacities, members Partnership have heard by the and else.

reproductive

process of the species. Of course, fish are in such concentrated aggregations and impact overfishing. Interestingly,

very catchable

this fact alone could encourage the most recent assessment Conservation yet known

of the environmental

of various gear types from the Fisheries Resource Council concluded (FRCC94.TD.4, that the impact of the aggregation 1994). other is not gear being towed through a spawning December

But despite the strong views on dragger technology, types of gear and technologies Many at the community the past. The common discarding practices meetings

all of the above theories advanced

were not held blameless. recalled the abuses of of misreporting and of

media, politicians academics.

While not

large quantities

of fish dead over the side were of whether including they used certhe controcontrohad to

denying that elements of some or all of the above may be factors in the troubled recov-

often cited as examples

of the guilt and shared responsion the community,

bility of nearly all fishers, regardless fixed or mobile gear. Depending tain other gear types were discussed,

ery of the stocks, we found it notable that such fashionable ries, including often quoted too few fish, do not resonate most affected. What was said in every community overfishing destroyed was that domestic adequate time to theothe Too

versial gill nets and Japanese cod traps. Though versial, it was noted that these inshore as susceptible be reported to misreporting for DFO purposes. pronounced

gear types were not

because all landings

As well, certain species experienced over-exploitation. For example, purse seiners sold herring shore, in exchange herring Flounder,

localized

many fishers chasing in the small communities

in St. Georges, Canadian ever coming on The

over the side, directly to

Russian factory freezer vessels without

for part of the Russian allocation.

the rich cod stocks. Many believed

fishery was virtually wiped out in this fashion. haddock, American plaice, sole, turbot, redfish

that we simply never gave the ecosystem

recover when Canada set the ZOO-mile limit. It was also expressed ecosystems technology frequently that the technology outpaced the

and many other species were mentioned or currently being, severely overfished. expressed a concern

as having been, In particular, that there should

ability to recover from repeated most often associated

assaults. The

many communities

with the disaster in the habitat and that this must undergo

be no capelin fishery, as capelin is at the base of the food chain. As one fisher in Forteau put it, Were destroying the cods food source. How in hell can you raise a herd of cattle with a little handful of grass?

offshore was that of dragging the ocean floor. Most people suspect that draggers damage bottom seriously impacts many species. In fact, in every community it was asserted that dragger technology

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Certain attitudes

and ethics were also associated

with the

HOPES, FEARS AND

In our meetings a variety

CONCERNS

collapse of the fishery. A denial of personal was cited often, encapsulated in the attitude,

responsibility Dont and of issues were raised that are vision of its sustainability. In or future sustainability, relevant to a communitys addition many people expressed

blame me, I had a quota and I caught it. Personal collective greed were often mentioned, about the declining with the insidious dependency. The erosion of community

as was apathy

to views on past, present

fish stocks, which was usually coupled effect of massive government

their hopes, fears and concerns

about the future. In this section, we will review some of the themes that arose repeatedly. be carefully respected These viewpoints must if any plans for the future are to by the commu-

spirit was also seen as part of One community member in

have a reasonable

hope of being adopted

the path to unsustainability. Renews said: The community

nities most affected. As a preliminary versally expressed that our Partnership just another without point, we concern would be
year, you just see how much If we hod o piece of land and

we had in the past was Weve been living us.

tightly knit. We all helped each other out.... But we lost that spirit in the name of prosperity. according by government Those to want instead of to need. It was encouraged and its nearly destroyed members

should report the nearly unirun a tractor over it 365 days o

task force, from it.

community

who do donate their time to in a state of volto do

any tangible positive

would

grow

on it. But you cant

help their community unteer burnout,

find themselves

changes resulting Moreover,

as the same people are expected

the view was frethat when-

see the damage

being

done

on

more for a community

that appears willing to do less for burnout was raised repeated-

quently expressed

itself. The issue of volunteer ly as an aspect of current Another munities concern

ever people had participated in a task force or public hearing process, the report did not seem to reflect their concerns. Given an understandable level

the ocean

floor.

unsustainability.

was that the loss of people from comto making them unsustainable. or Calgary was marked made it that

Fisher,

Mokkovik,

Lobrodor

now contributed

11

Every family moved to Toronto with the grim certainty

of cynicism in these small communities,

we were pleased

that their departure

that so many gave our effort the benefit of the doubt and troubled themselves to attend meetings. When challenged

much harder for the community is widespread that the communities

to survive. The concern will die slowly, and

on why anyone should expect the round table Partnership to be different from previous was that to reportindeed the only, cause of fishery Overfishing is the overwhelming,

the loss of people is like an open wound.

efforts, our response

Conclusion

we were committed What made your community on what caused the colwere the same.

ing what we heard in commuThe answer to the question unsustainable? nities as fairly and completely as possible. We also encouraged people to use our sessions, at which a broad spectrum of people from the community gathered, as a springboard for positive action that could be initiated decisions promise. did concentrate

collapse.

lapse of the fishery, as if the two questions But in answering nity unsustainable Frequently values, increased ultimately communities the question people went beyond government

of what made the commuthe fishery. and a pervasive or not individual about an erosion of

Fisheries Partnership

scientist meeting,

Dr.

Rum

Myers,

St. Johns

people raised concerns

dependency

sense of powerlessness.

These more subtle changes may

in the community,

without

waiting for

play a critical role in whether will survive.

by remote powers. The informal

In general, the people we on what we could at the meetthat arises when a

talked to understood to reporting fishingand Labrador.

the limitations the tension

The next section of our report is dedicated on the hopes, fears and concerns dependent communities of remote, in Newfoundland

tone we maintained

ings helped to overcome slate of outsiders

visits a small community.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

The predominant

hope and fear always circled around

the

Opinion

was less optimistic

when it came to the fish no one who believed that Many stark fears were viewed

same issue: the return of the fishery. It is clear that the vast majority of people in coastal communities hope des-

species; indeed, we encountered

the lump roe fishery is sustainable. expressed about the current

perately that the fishery will return.

It is equally clear that Theres nothing to

and future status of the

most fear that recovery is not possible;

capelin stocks. The turbot fishery was universally as in serious trouble.

left to spawn was a widely held view. It was fascinating hear Ipeople in the course of a single statement from a certainty vacillate

that the fishery will never recover to the

As for the future, we often heard about peoples queasy dread that the cod fishery will be reopened to political pressure the stronger participate future, too early due and that the stocks will never be have not been able to

hope that it must.

allowed to rebuild to a truly healthy state. This fear is all because communities in any public dialogue about the fishery of the there be one; as a result they see no reason other than past pressures will influence decision making.

should

Has fisheries management

changed

sufficiently

to

to believe that anything political and corporate

ensure that there will never be a repetition collapse? Although community

of the fisheries

The fear is that we will limp along indefinitely we did not formally pose this question in our more than a pale semblance intense bickering, desperate

with no in dealcom-

of the fisheries, resulting pleading and backroom

visits, we certainly heard strong views on the in DFO, and no reason to is likely to improve, is concerned, at

subject. Over and over again people made it clear that they had little confidence believe that fisheries management

making to carve up the meagre pie. For some, this scenario is the worst of all possible worlds, dividing munities collapse. The fear that government takes was not confined agement. has not learned from past misto concerns about fisheries manperception that the sectors, to high without common include: technology further and driving the fishery into permanent

now or in the future. As far as the present

12

every meeting commercial ticipant

people expressed

the fear that many other

species are going the way of the cod. One parto it as a domino redfish, turbot, effect. Another crab, shrimp said to gone. and lob-

referred

There was a widespread

that species seemed to go from underutilized Capelin, lumpfish,

same errors are being repeated especially forestry. harvesting

in other resource

Some of the symptoms

ster were all cited as cases in which the mistakes of the past are being repeated. In the case of shellfish, the allega-

both fisheries and forestry management able, increasing due consideration impacts, resource concerns, reliance on intensive of the environmental of a common primarily processing,

levels beyond what would appear to be sustainand social property and increased methods for large industrial

transformation to one managed

lack of value-added harvesting

use of mechanized

and processing

that favour efficiency over employment. The fear that individuals CAPELIN tion. was made that in switching from fish to invertealtering our in a sustaincentred rather have not learned from past misWe were

takes was also voiced in several communities.

told that, tragically, there are people today who would willingly go out and catch the last fish. We also heard concerns about the prevalence nities. Peoples tolerance gard for the conservation uted to the widespread ernment someone of poaching of poaching in some commuand cavalier disreit be their was attribis -

brates, weve simply changed victims without methods in any meaningful said that crab and lobster are being managed able fashion. for the most part on the unfairness than on sustainability considerations.)

way. Other people, however,

impacts -whether attitude

(On the topic of crab the discussion of allocations

own actions or those of their neighbours fish, and that conservation elses responsibility.

that the salmon are govand enforcement

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Other signals were more mixed. For instance, heard people express hopes for benefits underutilized emphasis, species, such as sea urchins was almost invariably

we often

to recognize

the importance

of the fisheries as the main-

from so-called or kelp. The on the short

stay of an entire way of life. The tourism promote ignorance industry and attempts by communities to

however,

term gains to be realized; there was relatively little discussion of conservation have a long tradition perceived considerations for species that do not The conduspecies are

tourism

in their regions provided

evidence of from ignorance that a of Tourism

and incompetence.

A representative to his astonishment Department

of use in this province.

Ramea provided

an example of government

sion seems to be that these non-traditional

when he related discovering

to have a role to play in helping communities fisheries can be

senior official in the provincial

get over the hump until the traditional reinstated, but it is not anticipated

and Culture was unaware that the Burgeo Road is now fully paved. As for incompetence, tourism brochures promoting we were told that the Bay de Verde Peninsula and

they will ever play the

same role in the community non-traditional ed form of economic aquaculture, tourism

that the fisheries played. The no different from

fisheries are simply seen as a much-needdiversification, or manufacturing.

were shipped unpacked

to the tourist chalet in Whitbourne

spent the entire summer cate that the provinces consideration

in a box, never having been seem to indimuch that tourism strategy is focussed priwithout potential

They apparently

or put on display. These blunders attractions,

have only a minor role to play in helping to sustain a traditional livelihood In the meetings and way of life.

marily on a few big-name

of the wealth of tourism

that took place toward the end of our visof the dispute between Canada and approval of

exists in all corners of the province. symptom of the overpass

At the very least it is a residents of St. of the

its, after the resolution

syndrome:

Spain over turbot stocks, there was universal reason to think that Canada had turned respect to fisheries conservation. expressed the view that the measures

Johns are accused of indifference lives and well-being happen

to and ignorance

the forceful action Canada had taken. For some, this was a corner with

of those unfortunate

souls who

to live in other regions of the province. such an attitude to the ignorance belief has

Others, however, taken by Canada in the

While some attributed and incompetence

13

were too little, too late; and some went so far as to say that it was a meaningless gesture, one that is hypocritical support

of government

officials, others had a

more sinister interpretation.

There is a widespread

light of Canadas continuing and our record in managing

for a turbot fishery,

in a hidden agenda. People fear that government made decisions

the cod stocks. As one partic-

with the aim of getting rid of the inshore

ipant said, That wasnt the first liner to go in a net, and they werent Spanish nets either.

2. THE FATE OF RURAL NEWFOUNDLAND COASTAL COMMUNITIES

Although the people we heard from were concerned they were There in the broader perception topic of the survival of in general.

about the survival of their own communities, also very interested was a widespread throughout small rural Newfoundland communities

that small communities and Labrador face a major crifishing industry depend and ultimately the communities is evidence that for of a govfounda-

Newfoundland

sis, one that threatens

to end an entire way of life.

The blame for this state of affairs was laid squarely on government-both what is perceived ignorance Newfoundland. federal and provincial as a systematic Government, undermining and on (either by

upon it. They fear that the lack of support across the province

small communities deliberate ernments attempt

by both the federal and provincial the social and economic What we are witnessing,

or by design) of the values essential to rural we were told, simply refuses

to undermine

tions of rural Newfoundland.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosvstems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

they told us, is simply the outward tlement under another

manifestation

of reset-

(i)

TAGS:

charity

or restitution? concern that TAGS payments

name. A specific example was prowho maintained regulations and gear-type

There was considerable

vided by a person from Petty Harbour, that DFOs refusal to enforce amounted undermine systematic to a deliberate community dropping attempt solidarity.

might be viewed by taxpayers

in central and western should be grateful. We that Canadians may

Canada as a form of charity, a gesture of kindly benevolence for which Atlantic Canadians heard the widespread not fully understand mismanagement of level fear expressed

to foster disputes

More generally, the

of people from the TAGS program through the UI proefforts

that TAGS is an attempt

to cushion by and that the

and the attack on seasonal employees gram are seen as just a few examples to divide and destroy communities. responsibilities from the provincial was also frequently

the impacts of a situation

caused, first and foremost,

of deliberate

by the federal government,

The down-loading to the municipal

primary liability for the massive expense rests with the managers. program TAGS, then, is and must be understood of restitution and compensation. as a

cited as part of the hidden

agenda to

shut down more remote communities. Much was said about the system. Some people expressed an industry the view that politicians representative are controlled by lobby (ii) TAGS complacency to displaced fisheries workers and their

groups and big corporations.

At our St. Johns meeting, from one of the largest corpo-

The financial aid provided is a vital support families. Nevertheless, again that, whatever has the unfortunate

for thousands

of individuals

rations put forward the view that the fishery of the future should be concentrated ers, earning a minimum point was distinctly corporations out the small communities. on a small core of full time fishof $30,000 annually. This viewYet, because it was a large

we heard it said over and over the intentions of the program, complacency TAGS

effect of fostering

at odds with what we heard through-

among many people. We often heard that many people are simply in denial; as long as they can cash their TAGS cheque, they do not fully acknowledge certainty that when TAGS compensation the magnitude of

vision of the future, many felt that the fix had been made and the fishery of the to meet industry expectations. For the of small communities view them-

14

was in, decisions future designed most part, residents

the crisis facing them. Even more worrying will be some other program

is their alleged runs out there that there to tide them they see

to replace it. They are deludconviction

selves as little people who dont have a say. On the other hand, there was also dissatisfaction lobbying clout of organizations representing representing appears that government organization with the

ed, we were told, by the stubborn

will be a TAGS 2 or some other program

fishers. It

over until they can go back to fishing. Therefore little need to make any major commitments planning for their futures. form of complacency

prefers to deal with only one fishers. There is a widespread and others within commuas

towards

feeling among union members

A slightly different

was also identidis-

nities that fishers are excluded from decision-making, the union is seen as their only voice.

fied, which could be called TAGS and the sedative effect. The TAGS program diverting deterrent fishery has tended to pre-empt cussion about what caused the collapse in the first place,

3. THE A~LAN~~~ GROLJN STIRATEGY (TAGS)

The communities we visited were chosen on the basis of therefore, to find that TAGS and fisheries workers was an we concerns that we

people from fully acknowledging

the magnitude

of the catastrophe.

Fear of losing TAGS is an effective

to public displays of outrage over the loss of the and to demands that those responsible must be a

the severe impact of the Atlantic fisheries collapse on them. It was no surprise, its support enormously program important for displaced

held to account.

We were given a cushion,

one person to mourn

told us, and we havent had the opportunity death.

issue in all the communities

It should be noted that we did not see a great deal of firsthand evidence their conviction of the TAGS complacency that this complacency syndrome. expressed Rather, the people who attended our meetings

visited. There were three particular heard with respect to TAGS.

runs rampant

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

through

their communities.

The point was strongly raised we visited, even to the point the major disincentive community to

the critical mass of outraged together

individuals

willing to join

in most of the communities

and take decisive action. The intent of the profishing-based communities, leaving

of saying that TAGS is currently effective planning sustainability.

gram, we were told, is to whittle away by degrees the spirit of Newfoundlands the residents accepting remote more pliable and resigned fate is decided to placidly

and action for long-term

whatever

on their behalf by

decision-makers.

(iii)

TAGS

causing

divisiveness

within

com-

munities We heard two ways in which TAGS is putting communities between by undermining their traditional a perceived a strain on co-operainequity and those from

4. CQMMUNlTY DEVELOPMENT
Our first community

ECQNOMlC

tive spirit. The first way is through

visits took place very shortly after Matters, the major

those who receive TAGS compensation for people: some were disqualified to be arbitrary

the public release of Community report of the federal-provincial Community Economic

who do not. There were several ways in which injustices raised concern

Task Force on This report had series of public

Development.

TAGS for what appeared ria or through unfairness of situations

and shifting criteout the could

been eagerly anticipated meetings

after the extensive

happenstance;

some pointed

the Task Force undertook

in the early summer upon the report for their comon the proposand especially

in which family members to provide

of 1994. In every community the communities munity. Attention

that we visited, leaders from

pool TAGS payments out of proportion community resentment tremendous any obligation munity

a family income that was in the fishery and to were afforded feeling to the com-

had read and reflected

to their earnings

and were eager to discuss its implications was, of course, focussed zones in the province, funding al to form economic

norms; and some w,orking people expressed at the fact that TAGS recipients leisure and recreational to use that time to contribute time without

on the makeup of the zonal boards that will administer the economic-development found ourselves community the months place. The Task Force on Community was established local economic development Economic Development of Its mandate reaction for each zone. We of observing

15

or to their own futures. more insidious way that TAGS was divisiveness. amongst themWe

in the interesting

position

There was another,

as the report first came out and in of boards was taking

alleged to be contributing voice to their bitterness and find themselves still benefiting

to community or to organize

when initial organization

were told that people on TAGS are less likely to give full selves. This means that when people come off TAGS in desperate straits, they are less likely by people who are In communities where

in order to address the future directions in the province. regarding a more efficient

to be actively and vocally supported from the program.

was to make recommendations and effective approach the provinces proposed Task Force recommended increased to 19) establish boards to co-ordinate

to regional development economic

in each of

people had been involved in a variety of fishing activities, and where peoples TAGS eligibility periods by undermining the possibility covered a broad range, we heard that TAGS is dividing communities of people finding common by those cause in their plight. People whose TAGS eligibility is currently expiring will not be strongly supported still on TAGS, and when they come off TAGS in 1996 or 1997 they will in turn get little support are good until I998 or 1999. from those who

zones. The I2-member

that the 18 zones (subsequently regional economic development development initiatives support in the zone,

all social and economic

relating to regional economic

and that existing federal and provincial

business

agencies should work with the zonal boards to harmonize their support. People had a diversity of views about the changes taking

Several people outlined Machiavellian

the view that TAGS is a that TAGS serves to activists, and that by is designed there will never be

place. Before outlining expressed expressed

several concerns

that were that

form of social control; of potential

about the process, it must be emphasized were was one of interest and support

buy the complacency staggering

the overall context in which these concerns ples espoused

the eligibility periods the program

for the princi-

to ensure that in these communities

in the report. People take the report very

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

seriously indeed,

and want to be involved

in the process.

plants will never reopen and which small communities will have the last door closed on their hopes of economic renewal. Wherever we went people acknowledged that

If there is a broad generalization

that can be made about it is this: people

the views we heard about the report, were very enthusiastic

about the Task Forces work when

these tough decisions

will have to be made sooner or later.

we spoke to them shortly after release of the report, later on, as community leaders started to get involved in the provisional zone boards, we

The bitter view of the Task Force on Community Economic Development, then, is that politicians and confrom

political process of forming who recognized

heard some doubts and concerns, how fractious

mostly from people

senior bureaucrats decisions members

have cynically and calculatingly

regional politics can be.

spired to use the zonal boards to distance themselves that are politically -volunteers all suicidal. The zonal board

Some people expressed provincial provide governments opportunities

the view that the federal and are not sincere in their efforts to for regional and local organizations role in the economic or regions. Although about community basically a paternalistic, economic developdevelopthe

are being set up as scapewill be

goats to take a big fall. The result, some predicted, chaos: mass resignations and divisiveness the besmirching leaders. of boards, increasing

bitterness and

to have a more meaningful ment of their communities

within and between of the reputations

communities,

and good will earned community

report uses all the right rhetoric involvement, top-down it is still promoting approach

over the years by the best and brightest

to community

ment. This was, however, One substantive emphasis reasoned, concern

not a widely held viewpoint. we heard was that with so much it is the small communiby representa-

5. YOUTH:

THE I. ST GENERATION
and moving fears expressed had to do with their and young adults teenagers

on regional planning

Some of the most immediate by people who attended concerns about the children,

ties that will lose out in the process. A zonal board, it was will in most cases be dominated tives from the larger communities boards, it is feared, will become their decision struggling to maximize in the zone. These intensely politicized in board members benefits to their to reach decisions, at the

our meetings

16

of the community, woman referred

and the troubles to a lost generation

they face. One of youth, and when

making, with individual the economic In the negotiations

we probed

a bit to find out what she meant we learned In the first case, numbers out searching

that the term had two distinct meanings. of young people leaving their communities, opportunities elsewhere. Although

own communities.

we heard about the dismay at seeing increasing

the smaller communities table will be ruthlessly opportunities

that are not represented excluded from the economic

young people have to obtain they back by

that the boards set in place. that painted a rather sinister our resources, that once proin the in the most governments the

always left rural Newfoundland higher education, opportunities

communities

to take advantage

of employment

We heard several opinions

or simply to expand their horizons, to return and be welcomed structure

picture of the move to establish zonal boards. In a nutshell, the view is this: after mismanaging squandering province, the economic opportunities vided livelihoods

always had the option

family and by a community young woman one assumes, be nothing, home.

that they belong story. When a it is, everyThere will

to. These days, we heard, its a different

to people in every community

or man leaves the community, a final break with the community.

and leaving rural Newfoundland

dire straits it has ever seen, the centralized are now off-loading resulting the responsibility mess to local volunteers!

people fear, to attract these people back

for managing Government,

it is felt, The other type of loss has to do with the teenagers young adults who do remain, This is the generation their own independence, and or who have not yet left. of

is simply unwilling decisions

to make some of the brutally tough its responsito bear the layer of government

that must be made, and is dodging

bility by creating another The decisions unwilling

of young people on the threshold to

brunt of the abuse, scorn and outrage that is sure to come. that people in St. Johns and Ottawa are decisions such as which fish to make are those that will directly result in the

ready to embark on a life path of and

their own, who now find that they have few options choose from. Many older people were both outraged ashamed

deaths of communities

that this is the only meagre, bitter fruit they can

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

offer to their own children. Scie public meeting lot happier younger

As one elderly man at our La expressed, Id die a the

It should be pointed

out that the youths we talked to were of their futures as were

quite movingly

in general not quite as despairing

if I could do something

for the children, out working

the older adults. The youths who came to our meetings may not have been broadly representative tion, but they manifested to the major questions of their generaan earnest desire to find answers facing them, as well as the intellito overcome despair and

people. I got a grandson

away. Id

love to bring him home to work here. I want to see him make a man of himself. But Im so worried young people driven off the island. In the lost aimlessness of the young people in the school stores and at the inactive of our collective about all the

gence, passion and commitment apathy.

yards, outside the convenience

Particularly Harbour

impressive

was the youth group in Petty

wharves, people saw the grim reflection failure to keep future horizons concerned about increases

who had formed their own Youth Round Table round-

open. People were deeply problems explained that that at the by the

in order to be fully involved in the community that the moratoriums social and economic

in vandalism,

table effort. They drove home many valid points, notably blow to young out that in people has not been recognized. the past, even as pre-teens, pocket money cutting out cod tongues. They They pointed

would appear minor in central Canada. In fact, an RCMP officer who attended concern the Renews meeting

the main reason he had come was to talk about his grave since a recent act of property are learning destruction local school. Many in communities life lessons young children parents idle, receiving were troubled

they could earn their own

from having their

a cheque every two weeks, with the uncertainty hanging over them. class other at the Bay de Verde meeting in her elementary She thought

have lost that economic opportunity and also the seasonal work that tilled their summer hours.

weight of care of financial One young schoolteacher dropped

told of her shock that attendance

off every second Wednesday.

teachers were testing her naivete when they explained upon receiving TAGS cheques whole families headed for the shopping children mall in the nearest large centre, taking the out of school to do so. In fact, this was exactly and every

17

Finding alternative employment to save money for university was a as

why classes shrank every second Wednesday one expected it.

major concern,

was finding a seat On the other hand, we heard from many people that the only good thing about the moratorium ple were staying in school to graduate is that young peofrom high school. out of at university. Given the choice, all the young people we met said they would prefer to remain in their own communities. most thought Asked to guess if that would be possible, not.

We heard of the lure in earlier years of dropping fisheries where one could immediately ones high-school however, Although tutions, frequently complained

high school and landing a job in one of the more lucrative earn more than

teacher. Young people themselves, that people on TAGS and colleges. instiWe found many parallel situations a the various communities. and inadequate to call attention ed faced a wide range of common infrastructure, cerns about out-migration, in the challenges problems facing All of the communities volunteer burnout, we visitdecaying con-

were taking their places in universities this was disputed

by people in educational

many young people still believe that they are against TAGS recipients, who are guaranteed memspe-

competing

seat in courses. Given the scope of the crisis from a social, cultural and economic bers of our Partnership point of view, it surprised to realize that no counselling

etc. We were asked, however, localized challenges.

cific to the crisis was being provided

in the school system.

to some particular

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

The communities moth difficulties

in coastal Labrador

face some mam-

no longer facing most Island communitransportation lifeThe overwhelming sentiment from communities was that

ties. They are reliant on an expensive

line in order to meet their basic needs these times of severe budget restraints for granted. seven months

a service that in

can never be taken only on

if they are to have a future, government

must start listen-

Ferry service itself serves the community of the year, leaving people dependent air transport

ing. Over and over we heard that future sustainability depended on greater empowerment of people at the comthat not all made a con-

even more expensive Any additional

for much of the year. therefore, must

munity level. It was generally acknowledged communities view that those communities scious decision more likely to survive. whose residents

planning

for sustainability, Although

would survive. But it was a strongly held

be on top of this already considerable ty energies and resources. an-island communities

outlay of communithe two island-off-

not to allow their town to die would be far

we visited in Newfoundland it is probably commuof coastal Labrador

(Ramea and Fogo) have similar concerns, fair to say that the concerns

Nearly all of the views we heard fell within a general theme of belief in a sustainable personal and community control future based on greater coupled with and the decisions self-reliance

nities are more acute and receive less attention. Another type of special hardship was common to every

increased

over their resources

community:

the obstacles faced by women. For instance,

The concern of public This

that affect their lives. Future sustainability maximize will also depend on approaches that

was raised that womens in the province. discussion amounts

issues are not taken seriously the vast majority of processing. on the harvesting

the benefit to local communities, indicators

not those that lacking any indicators The preonly of the

of fisheries issues is focussed to double discrimination: the importance

merely serve to inflate economic sustainability context.

sector with much less discussion emphasizing

This point was raised in concerns economic the value of the fishery.

firstly, by de-

about the false news spread through that had underestimated by moratorium

of what has traditionally work; and secondly,

been understood rendering

to be womens invisible.

statistic that the fishery represented

the many women

who do work in the harvest-

5.5% of GDP (1984 figure) was mentioned inference from it was that Newfoundland

a number

ing sector as practically

times. In real terms, that figure is wholly misleading;

had never relied

very much on the fishery, and should just shake off the dust from a dead fishery and move on. What is not The discussions that took place tended to be concerned with some reflected in that statistic is that the fishery was extremely that 30,000 people were left unemployed with many times that impacts, that billions of dolfrom the federtheir caught up in economic labour-intensive, number suffering

notable exceptions

with rather bleak

subjects. While people had a broad range of outlooks from anger and bitterness our conversations of the death of communities. ple we talked to acknowledged to enthusiasm around and optimism always hovered

in the wake of the moratorium, lars in income lifeblood, supplements

the grim subject as a matterthe concern into a vortex communisince a self-ful-

were required

For the most part, the peothis possibility

al purse, and that hundreds the fate of ocean life. Similarly, it was expressed the moratorium. Indeed,

of small communities

culture, history and future -were

of-fact, and moved on from there. However, was raised that there is a danger of spiralling of negativity. challenges ties struggling facing Newfoundland to become

with disdain that some politifishery during the actual value of the fishery in value, but that is as a fluke in market

All of the doom and gloom around the and Labrador sustainable is dangerous,

cians were now talking about a successful I995 will exceed its pre-moratorium because of what is widely regarded conditions superior to pay premium

gloom breeds on itself, and despair can become filling prophesy.

for one species. The Japanese are now willing prices for crab due to the collapse of in the quality Alaskan crab. The Alaskan crab is expectcrab fishery will likely be in jeopardy.

At the same time, it is not possible to simply tune out the bleak news. One person likened the communitys tion to that of someone storm: struggling situato survive in a snow-

ed to recover, at which point the current bonanza Newfoundland

If we fall asleep, well die.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Further more, despite the high dollar value of the crab fishery, it has almost no impact on most local communities. It is an issue of real concern shipped source of bitterness that a handful that crab for Japan is It is also a of fishers and procesprofits out with virtually no local processing.

lapse is like salt in the wounds

of those who first raised the They feel confident that But

alarm that the cod was in trouble.

an inquiry would at long last validate their concerns. and ignored in the wake of the disaster. People are frustrated

just as they were ignored in the past, they feel powerless

sors with crab licences are making astronomical while the majority of their neighbours made the same point about Hibernia, go to a few people but the benefits province as a whole. depends

sit idle. People where huge wages

with being told this is not the time demanding public accountability

to lay blame, as though of any opportunity family member

are not seen by the

for the collapse of the fishery were in bad taste. Deprived to discuss and debate the crisis, one likened the experience
Whats happening

Fogo Island participant on development appropriate that with

to losing a
to the crab

The future of communities is labour-intensive benefits retained

at sea. In the

and environmentally close to the community.

case of a death when the body is not found, the family cannot deal with the tragedy: When you dont find the

doesnt

make

any sense.

Theyre

Dealing

with

the

past

body, you always hope, you it became clear dont grieve. You always half expect him to open the door and walk back in, safe and sound.

putting

the crab

out in sections,

During our visits to rural communities

creating

less employment.

But

that the crisis created by the collapse of the fishery has not been dealt with either by communities, indeed, the nation. its aftermath, nounced the province or,

according

to politicians,

every-

In fact, not only has there not been a

formal public forum to deal with the fisheries collapse and but there appears to have been a proThree

things

great.

The

only

statistics

effort to shut down any such discussion.

years into the moratorium,

people still have not been conand nor with governto

Planning future
THE FISHERY

for the

they Fisher

look

at are

the dollar at Forteau

signs. public

speaking

sulted as to why they think the fishery collapsed has government resource explained

meeting

under what criteria it should be allowed to reopen, was so mismanaged. There was discussion,

Just as the questions made your community

What susThe last cod taken out of the

to them why it believes the

tainable in the past? and What made it unsustainable? were answered so too was the question What could make your comFish!,

a great deal of humour, ment has instituted. the task for a number range of stakeholders

about the consultations

They were viewed as inadequate of reasons. First, because a wide was not included.

Atlantic

will

register

positive

to

Second, having We

the GDP. Fisher, Pefty Harbour

invited only fishers, they were then further segregated. heard of a recent meeting crews in another. on gear types where cod trap

munity

sustainable

in the with hopes

future? answered

fishers met in one room, having no contact with dragger Not surprisingly, each group concluded that their own technology any consensus. was fine. There was no attempt

for the fishery. It was nearly universally out some level of restored nities will not have a future. But no one in our meetings returning to pre-moratorium

argued that with-

fishing activity, these commu-

to bring these fishers into the same room or to achieve Nor were they allowed to discuss what had held the hope of the fishery levels of employment. Nor

caused the collapse of the fishery. Various theories bly never know. outs, or worse. happened are floated in the media within the gento blame and well probacopand what These are viewed as unacceptable In fact, many community residents

do people believe the fishery should be managed in the past. Echoing the conclusions eral themes that everyones

as it was

of the Honourable

John Frasers report on the status of the West Coast salmon, many in communities fishery had been managed warning expressed the view that the too close to the edge. The between sci-

fishers believe it is perfectly possible to determine and to use this information our mistakes.

signals were not heeded. They urged that in any

to avoid repeating

future fishery there be more communication

The refusal to look at what caused the col-

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

en&s

and fishers. Over and over, we heard that for the managed there should be much including calls for actual succeed they

believes would constitute action:

priority

areas for government

fishery to be sustainably greater community community Concern

involvement,

management

of their adjacent fishery. that if communities over resource and resources decisions. feel that no one speaks for To allow coastal decisions,
ancaclian overfishing

was also expressed

in gaming greater control will require the authority their local management

There is a need to address the issue of overfishing Canadians. Foreign overfishing attention has dominated

by

to implement

the discuson

sion, diverting

from overfishing overfishing

taking place

Many within the communities them -

within Canadian

waters. Placing a higher priority

not their union or their government. participation (e.g., co-management,

action to curb domestic

would also strengthen to reduce for-

meaningful

Canadas hand in international eign overfishing. nations exploitation as hypocritical

diplomacy

zone management, among decision management between dictions; munity;

round tables, etc.), more co-operation makers was recommended. identified The need to

Canada is still seen by many fishing on the issue of foreign over-

break down the barriers that have existed in fisheries was frequently (for example, and their jurisdepartments

of marine resources.

the different between

levels of government government

Overfishing

of particular

species

the different

that deal with various aspects of the fishery and the comand within the community, the involvement of

As noted earlier, there was widespread species are being over-exploited. in planning

concern

that many

However,

three in partic-

all stakeholders). The call for involvement rounding responsible of fishers also extended to com-

ular were raised so often that they merit special attention the fishery of the future.

ments about those whose advice is heeded in issues sur-

20

the fishery. It is felt that the same experts for the destruction of the resource are still

Capeiin

In every community

visited we heard concerns

about the

making decisions

about the fishery of the future. to pro-

capelin fishery. The concerns First, that it is an inherently

fell into three categories. unsustainable fishery due to

People believe that a process must be established vide all fishers the opportunity

to have input into planin regulatory, adjust-

the critical role played by capelin in the food chain. Second, that it is an unacceptably wasteful fishery because any dead. (A similar conroe.)

ning for the fishery of the future ment and management given an opportunity and traditional developed.

issues. The community for meaningful integration

must be In

the major market is for capelin roe in Japan, requiring male capelin caught to be discarded,

involvement.

order for there to be successful knowledge,

of scientific

cern was raised about the fishery for lumpfish be managed harvest. sustainably

a level of trust needs to be not only scientific ecological knowledge informaof fish-

Third, even those who believe that the capelin fishery can do not believe that the stock is the current approved level of strong enough to withstand

Many stressed the need for a stock assessment

model that takes into account tion, but also the traditional ers; for stock assessment waters as well as offshore; technologies methods to determine for a sustainable

surveys conducted

in inshore of gear should

and for an assessment fishery. This assessment involving

the most suitable harvesting

be conducted

in consultation

with fishers, who should be the modification

involved in any experiments

of fishing gear and/or testing programs. There were many very specific suggestions fishery and future sustainability. had a high degree of community the basis of recommendations relating to the below

Those reported support, that the Partnership

and some form

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Kewfoundland

and

Labrador

In Renews we were told that hundreds those dependent

of people, even urging we

required

to catch tiny shrimp,

the rates of by-catch

are

on capelin, had signed petitions

huge. It is estimated restaurant,

that every time a shrimp is sold in a of other fish have Even where

that there be no capelin quotas. In Petty Harbour,

up to 10 times that quantity gate (designed

learned that the Co-op fish plant had decided in 1993 to remain closed for the year rather than accept capelin for processing. The following year, 1994, they were told that if

been killed and thrown the Nordmore

into the ocean dead.

to allow the escape of small may be unacceptably about the rate of

fish) is used, the rates of by-catch large. Many were particularly by-catch

they did not open to process capelin, they ran the risk of losing their processing opened. licence. Against their better judgethey

concerned

in baby cod, turbot and halibut. In fact, scientific in Newfoundland there of by-catch waters is lacking. Additionally, enforcement

ment, as they believe the stocks to be endangered,

data on the extent and type of by-catch and Labrador regulations. appears to be inconsistent

But after 48 hours, the fishery was shut down as

none of the capelin landed were large enough to be legally processed. In fact in that year, out of a total quota of waters due to the small size of the 47,000 M/T, only 1,700 M/T were legally landed throughout Newfoundlands fish caught. Many feel the resource shore behaviour is in trouble. Over the last few is later, offand, But still

With the cod showing limited signs of recovery, people in fishing communities want to know that everything possi-

ble is being done to give the cod a chance to recover. But between overfishing the cods major food sources and of other commercial species, by seals, they do not believe this years the capelin have been smaller, spawning in many areas, capelin are far fewer in number. allowing cod in the by-catch not to mention to be the case. predation

of the stock appears to have changed

there is a capelin fishery in 1995. Capelin is a key component of the food chain for more than the cod. As an Inuit fisher pointed out to us in Makkovik, the capelin is the whales. number
Turbot

base of the diet of everything Inuit observers ofseabirds are wondering

up to and including the dropping

The concern extinction.

for turbot stocks is straightforward: As noted earlier, there was widespread for minister

most pride

if smaller whale size is due capelin stocks on food source. In

people believe that it will soon be in a state of commercial and enthusiasm Estai. However, expressed expressed Tobins actions in seizing the

21

to the scarcity of capelin. Certainly, which the birds depend

is likely related to declining

for their primary

even in the same breath as people for the seizure, they also of Canadas newabout the strength

a major seabird colony at Witless Bay, for example, the black-legged year. Herring kittiwake population gulls are declining, plummeted by 90% last shearand ocean-going

their support scepticism

found conservation

ethic. Juvenile turbot is caught by fleets. Most believe there quota with the Spanish.

waters appear to be absent in some areas. The vast majority of people attending our meetings felt

both foreign and domestic

should have been no negotiated Moreover, domestic turbot fishery either.

that the cod fishery will never recover without capelin stocks. The role of capelin in supporting ecosystem was mentioned less frequently cause for concern.

healthy the whole

they do not believe there should have been any

but is certainly a

From the observations shrimp capelin is in southern any processing

of many fishers, in northern waters. The current

waters

is just as important

a part of the food chain as shrimp fishery without TURBOT $300 million/year,

has a value of approximately

in Newfoundland.

Many in communities fishery that has studies

believe that shrimp is the most destructive

ever taken place in the ocean. Recent worldwide confirm that dubious position.

Due to the small mesh size

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

On the other hand, many fishers argued that gillnets, In discussing what would make their communities suswhen used properly, by-catch. are highly selective with very little of years, and

tainable again, the subject of appropriate gy was universally

use of technoloagree-

They have been used for thousands

raised. There was widespread

as long as fishers are careful to ensure that none of their nets are left to become appropriate technology. ghost nets, they are a perfectly Suffice it to say that views on gillof community

ment about the two ends of the spectrum: one who spoke out in meetings tional hook-and-line producing the spectrum,

virtually everywhile

believed that the tradi-

fishery was totally sustainable

nets are a long way from the unanimity views on draggers. People also expressed concern

the highest quality catch. At the other end of nearly everyone believed that draggers role in the destruction of the fishery.

about Japanese cod traps fishing. A cod

played the primary In between, gies, without Modern

being too large and creating unsustainable trap is essentially of netting.

there were strong views about other technolothe same degree of unanimity.

a room with four walls and a floor made

It is typically set in inshore waters of up to 36

draggers have achieved nearly mythological in the public psyche. Their sheer size (they are nets held open with ton and a half steel doors) and the ability to zero in on vast schools of fish with high-tech sonar and radar, scraping along the ocean floor, suggests that they have dwarfed the marine ecosystem resource northern technology and even a as seemingly as the cod. Many should be

metres deep, kept upright with floats and held down with weights set along the bottom. design. The Japanese variation in

dimensions

able to lower nets large enough to scoop up twenty 747s

added a roof and a porch and was more complex catches of up to 10 M/T in one cod trap.

Prior to 1991, it was possible to achieve daily

Foreign

overfishing

We heard in some communities,

although

not everyof the continental

where, that Canada should have control

shelf and of foreign fishing that would impact on this area. Clearly, there was a great deal of concern Nose and Tail of the Grand Banks. A related concern was that combatting compromised foreign overfishing by Canadian civil seragendas. in stopabout the

inexhaustible

has been traditionally vants preoccupied ping overfishing concerns The view was expressed

with other-than-conservation that Canadas interests

people feel that dragger COD TRAP banned. Others feel that

lose out when other markets and trade as the rea-

are linked. This was often identified

it should at least be suspended until there is a proper environmental assessment and the

son Canada gave any further turbot quota to the Spanish.

to determine ocean bottom.

the impact on the fishery resource

Conrservation-based expressed about gillnets, parmonofilafishery thanks as many as 400 Virtually

fisheay expressed the manThis was of

As well, there was concern

everyone in small communities The primary

ticularly those made of non-biodegradable nets were introduced to the Newfoundland equipment,

view that if there is to be a fishery in the future, it must be conservation-based. agement described industry, override goal of resource of the resource. should be conservation

ments. In the late 1960s and early 197Os, 280,000 such to a 50% federal subsidy. Gillnets sit along the ocean floor like a fence. With mechanized

as erring on the side of caution. community conservation

The interests

and other stakeholders concerns. particularly

should never in side,

gillnets can be set from the same boat. They have the advantage of being able to conform to the contours of any that ocean floor and therefore enable fishing in areas inapproMany were worried

Some people involved from the processing Rather than cod

the fishing industry, eries have traditionally focussing

argued that there should be a change in the way the fishbeen pursued. on sheer quantity, as the Newfoundland

priate for cod traps or draggers.

ghost nets could still be fishing during the moratorium.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

hope that the plant in their community will reopen, and they will not

explore other options. On the other hand, we heard from many, primarily that government owners of fish plants, should intervene as to and survives as

little as possible. The decision which plant reopens

should be made by the marketplace. Many argued persuasively number that the

of fish plants did not play a on the ecosystem not processing. was Fish

role in the collapse of the fishery, as the pressure from harvesting,

plant owners felt government

should

license them in the future to process more than one species. They argued that if the community its resources through could manage rights of adja-

cency, then it only made sense that a local fish plant should be able to process a multiplicity species. TRAWL There was also a great deal of concern fishery had in the past, it should be more quality-conscious, implementing harvesting and processing practices about the fairness of the resources harvesters. This was particularly fisheries. distribution among acute as it related to the As noted above, the price of locally caught

23

that stress the importance of raw material,

of quality and better utilization

lucrative invertebrate is through

rather than volume alone. management was a

the roof now, but only a very few can benefit crab fishery. In general, in all fish-

Many also argued that single-species

from the supplemental eries, measures resources.

failure. They urged that fisheries management have some sense of the interactions tal conditions, of predator-prey management. essence ecosystem between relationships an ecosystem interventions -

should environmenin many into nat-

need to be taken for fair sharing of

More accurately,

Conservation

and

stewardship

education

believe that we cannot manage we can and should manage human ural systems to minimize

but, that We often heard that somehow human wondered obsession society has to recognize our fish inability to control greed. People in communities if we, as a society, are capable of controlling with short-term profits to stop hunting that allows us to catch the last fish. It the wild fishery Many more and practices or sea ranching.

the damage we do.

Licensing Processing

beeisions

on

Harvesting

and

with a technology was suggested

we might need to abandon

We frequently

heard that people would like government the fish plant in their community that unpopular decisions.

and instead get into farming

to tell them whether

people believe that with good stewardship fishing with passive gear, a sustainable maintained. Many urged that to accomplish

will be allowed to reopen or not. They acknowledge these are difficult and politically But as long as there is no decision,

fishery could be this there education,

people will cling to the

needs to be a strong effort at conservation from the youngest children

to active fishers.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Fishery

infrastructure

Not surprisingly,

the topic of the increasing

seal popula-

The infrastructure decaying. ery-related tained.

for a small-scale

fishery is already open for future fish-

tion was raised nearly everywhere. issue wasbeing and politicians. used as a scapegoat

Many felt that the seal by major industries

In order to keep options employment,

many urged that wharves and should be main-

It is notable that no one in small commu-

other elements

of the infrastructure

nities put forward the view that the seals had caused the collapse of the cod stocks. On the other hand, now that the cod is hanging on the brink of extinction, many be a cause of believe that factors that would not ordinarily concern, the edge. In the past, seals were seen as an abundant seal fishery was a significant contributing in communities public opinion received training processes. Montreal admired seal-fur clothing to the sustainability resource. The Many such as seal predation,

Moreover,

some felt that well-maintained in cruise ships

wharves could also attract tourist potential and ecotourism

activities such as whale watching.

might push the cod over

Edorcemealt

DFO and the province enforcement. that everyone social attitudes.

need to work with communities meetings, Community leaders

on

part of the provinces of communities.

history,

At our community

it was stressed a change in

needs to be involved. Government

believe it is time to take on international in order to create markets for seal prodin La Scie who had expense in tanning making high-quality show in at government a business

have to participate

and assist in fostering

officials have to do their

ucts. We heard from one woman She opened

share by being consistent regulations. strong support

and aggressive in enforcing Oceans Day session, there was representatives for the Fishers Co-op in the face of The inaction

At the wrap-up

from community

and headed to a fur-trade but explained

plight of the Petty Harbour

with high hopes. She related that other furriers her product that no one would public opinion. She had

DFO refusal to enforce their own regulations. nearly violent community on this particular symptomatic meeting.

evening before Oceans Day there had been a divisive and Government local issue appeared to many to be with eroding and law

24

buy seal fur due to anti-seal-hunt to abandon the entire enterprise

for lack of markets. an economic opporcan by the .:

.

of an agenda more concerned

Many people feel that seals represent

a strong community enforcement.

voice than with conservation

tunity but they fear the negative image internationally never be overcome for seal products. provincial ment in this area. to allow the development However, efforts in research many were encouraged

of a market and develop,

governments

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY LIFE BEYOND THE FISHERY

Our discussions fishery, although stage. However, in communities ranged far beyond the

There was virtual unanimity programs providing

on the point that, of all the had real value, Many

offered, adult basic education

the basics for future sustainability.

wished that adult basic education

were more readily availin taking

the fishery was never far from centre as previous sections suggest, the question us away from the fishery diversification, brought

able, and that there were more people interested advantage opportunity of the opportunity

where it does exist. Every to upgrade a urged

of future sustainability

should be given for individuals Community

to issues of values and ethics, economic education, Regardless communities of programs. training and community

their educational

levels. We heard that there is currently educators with community and to attempt

empowerment. refrain that

stigma to these programs.

that they should be designed/adapted

of the topic, there was a constant

input in order to make them acceptable remove any stigma. We heard repeatedly vocational training that should be
have

to

must be involved in the design and delivery We cannot overemphasize members the extent to

We used to

keep

a garden

and

which community ernment overriding Partnership

and leaders believe that govto their needs, disdainful of

is totally insensitive

their opinions

and blind to community

values. The single was that our GOVERN-

more focussed to potential

on local needs and linked

a few

goats.

We worked

message from every community should bring this point home:

and opportunities

employment.

harder,

but we

had

food

on our

MENT MUST LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE! There should be more input from the community type of training disturbed provided. Some communities to learn that decisions of such importance into the were

There is no point in training

table and clothes on our

100 hairdressers

if there is no
backs...

market. We also heard from many people that TAGStrained workers were competing with others in overcrowded fields, such as nursing assistants, electricians. Many aspects of education carpenters and

were very

again being made outside the communities. nities opinions Further, delivered knowledge the training is being identified, involved. to highlight

The commuand

on ways to diversify are being ignored. designed from and with minimal

1 used

to milk

three

cows

in the

25

by people far removed of the communities sections attempt

morning

before

going

to school.

If we are

going

to stay in

The following themes,

common

and training our sessions:

merit reference frequently in

Newfoundland, I think well hove

many of which form the basis for community

as they emerged

recommendations.

to get back

to work....

Have

Education for capacity buildEducation and Training

ing aspects of education that about the funds and

determine

what is required involveand the

few

cows

and

a few

hens

and

capacity building In our meetings, training many different were raised. We heard recommendations needed to be educated

to permit meaningful ment of the community

take

care

of ourselves...

civil servants needed to be educated the fishery, that children traditional

about the reality of

provide it. In particular, communities port leadership training;

wished to sup-

Views

from

the

Burnt

islands

pub-

culture of their province,

and that TAGS reciptheir education about There was that has that the as an end in job.

lic

meeting

ients should be allowed to reallocate to their children. inappropriate widespread

There were many complaints primarily institutions, vocational.

Conflict-resolution education The level of division withhas grown considerably Cod Adjustment since the Recovery in of Northern in the community introduction Program

training, cynicism

about the new industry there was recognition

sprung up of training money. Fundamentally,

all run on TAGS

(NCARP) and TAGS. This was expressed

culture needed to change to value education itself, not merely as a ticket to a particular

most of, if not all, the communities it has occurred Conflict-resolution

we visited. Many feel in any

because of the design of the programs. courses should be included

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

LabradoI

training

courses offered. Consideration

should be given to at large

If government start putting was frequently

is serious about diversification, money into R&D, marketing, expressed about government

they should etc. Concern red tape

making these courses available to the community in order to have a positive impact; Counselling Counselling should be provided

in areas

operating

as a barrier to new enterprises. for more practical applica-

where there is a need, i.e. family counselling, counselling, etc. Support counselling for youth, addictions,

marriage depression,

Policies should be designed

tion, with input from the community. were given of policies designed

Many examples

groups should be encouraged;

either in St. Johns or level is

Integrating fishery awareness in education system The regular school system, primary, ondary and post-secondary, surrounding current vation crisis management, elementary, secshould integrate the issues and the conserYoung

Ottawa that did not make sense at the community when implemented. required

More input from the community policies are to work. visits we noted a tension on any

if government

the history of the fishing industry into their regular school curriculum.

Throughout between small-scale

our community enterprises

fishing, processing,

those who could see a future based on dozens of and those who focussed it as inadequate to replace what ideas by

people need to know their history; Conservation education tainable development better utilization, keting, etc; More strategic use of TAGS funds We should look towards the of sus-

single idea and dismissed

has been lost. Those who dismissed were most often those who appeared anything put forward

diversification

to feel threatened venture

future fishery and expose people to the concepts value-added production,

and to the ideas of conservation, quality, mar-

as an alternative

to the fishery. Only

when it was agreed that no one new economic could replace the fishery was there consensus. Beyond new economic opportunities,

diversification practices

dis-

Many felt that institutions

cussions also focussed through

on the need to become

self-reliant, of the past. In

TAGS has been a gold mine for many training

reviving some sustainable

26

and that the quality of some of the courses offered leaves a lot to be desired; Identify the responsibility of the intellectual communities Memorial University of Newfoundland used to be much more involved in community development in the

essence, many felt they had to learn to make do with less. Many mentioned through returning the need to go back to the future to small-scale vegetable gardening and

livestock and milk production. We are living in a different we are more dependent logical innovations Certain economic

On the other hand, no one today in which and techno-

felt they could go all the way back to the way it used to be. environment on the cash economy

issues than it is now. It has shown little leadership present crisis. Education professionals talents, abilities and experience actual community to be more directly

should use their -through ensuring that

than we were 20 or 30 years ago. diversification and common opportunities themes were as

involved in the real issues facing communities service as well as through

raised everywhere, reported

emerged

the research they do is grounded communities, resource base. and is focussed

in the practical needs of

below in a sectoral fashion.

on Newfoundlands
Tourism

ECONOMIC
All the communities

QIV~~SIFICAT~O
we visited felt there was the need to seals, aquaculture, underutilized agrisuch as

Many believe that their community increased tourism, although

could benefit from that it about that not

it was acknowledged

could never replace the fishery. Expectations tourism were quite realistic. It was recognized can rely on tourism. thwarted.

diversify in the areas of tourism, culture, secondary jams and preserves. processing, crafts, heritage carpentry

species, local

every community

Some feel they For example,

and local food products, impressive

have natural advantages communities

upon which they should be able

Some communities,

such as Ramea local exercises

to capitalize, but are currently

and Forteau had gone through to identify their strengths many felt that government

near Port aux Basques believe there should driving off the ferry by Parks

and plan for the future. But was less than fully supportive.

be ways to keep some of the tourists

in their area. People near facilities operated

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Canada believe they should be able to attract visitors to the area to facilities beyond the park or historic such as local craft shops, restaurants are frustrated by the apparent Canada in the Lanse aux Meadows the community protected site -

people and their skills. It seemed that government more interested in attracting

was

people from away with tax

or B and Bs. Many of Parks area in working with opportunities.

breaks, than investing Frequently mentioned

in their own people. barriUI killed half of our people;

intransigence

to develop the tourism

ers to developing from homemade handcrafts

everything jams and

TAGS is killing the other half.

Others see potential

in their area from more ecological ecological sites were mentioned Baccalieu Island an ecological

areas. Proposed

to whale-watch
Comment meefing from Forteau public

specifically in Burnt Islands and in Bay de Verde, where people hope that declaring reserve will enhance ecotourism. transportation system was Certainly,

cruises were the difficulty in accessing capital and the extent of red tape and government regulation.

The state of the provinces often mentioned our experience

as a disincentive as a Partnership

to tourism.

travelling to beautiful

areas over excruciatingly

bad roads made us believers. The by ferry, the

high price of taking a car to the province

READJUSTING INCOME SUPPORT TO ENHANCE SUSTAiNABILITY

Those attending our sessions tended to be well informed at all levels of and unem-

poor state of roads once you arrive, and the erratic ferry service to areas such as Fogo, Ramea and Labrador seen as obstacles to tourism development. hand, people complained were On the other

and keenly aware that budget constraints government ployment threaten schemes.

future income support

of money spent on roads no one

On the other hand, some argued that as sole managers as a matter

needs and few people want, such as the St. Johns Outer Ring Road, at the same time that roads to more remote areas are a sea of potholes.

given the role of the federal government

of the fishery, there should be compensation of equity. In any event, as long as programs

27
such as the Atlantic Strategy (TAGS) are available, many in comcould be more sustainability. with

Aquaculture

Groundfish expressed frustration that munities

Many people in communities three years into the moratorium, that government out meaningful also complained

believe those financial resources to enhance long-term

the feasibility of aquaThey believe in carrying Many

effectively deployed The current

culture is still such a matter of speculation. should take more initiative aquaculture

design of programs

is felt to interfere

real adjustment

and diversification.

We often heard that what othcreates a disin-

efforts in the province.

paying people to stay home at levels exceeding ers in the community receive for working centive to change. At present,

that aquaculture

efforts are being conwhy, given

trolled by only a select few. Others wondered work in allowing people to maintain

many people on TAGS are courses in areas outside

the state of the crisis, there was not more experimental cod in homemade their

fearful that if they accept training

the fishery, they will not be entitled to return to the fishery should it recover. Government Government has continuously should provide assurances that trainees on TAGS will not be prejudiced. changed the rules and cricreating an aura of mistrust There needs to teria in the TAGS program,

ponds over winter, feeding them and enhancing doing this on her own.

growth. We heard from one woman who was successfully

Small

business

and uncertainty

among TAGS recipients. by government

be an understanding discussions was that it cases individuals

officials that in most just for themthey have to conprovided

The thrust of most diversification

are not making decisions

was not one big thing that would save a community. Rather it would be many small efforts, largely individual entrepreneurs many barriers, establishing though, small businesses. There were all reflectin local

selves, but for their families. Therefore,

sider the impact on them. Many of the programs do not take this into consideration creates undue hardships

and serve as a deterby providing

to starting a business, lack of confidence

rent. For example, the living away from home allowance in family situations

ing, it was felt, governments

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

an allowance allow a mother

for the trainee but nothing, to bring children with her.

for instance,

to

CONCLUSION
Despite the enormous coastal communities remains changes wrought in the lives of there nor

Some people expressed training who are TAGS-eligible TAGS recipients they successfully

the view that the only compulsory should be for those and under 25 years old. Many their training they would not

as a result of the moratorium, not in Toronto,

under the TAGS program

a strong will to survive

even in St. Johns but in the communities themselves, even though, ing.

in which people peo-

felt they were too old to train. Even if completed

were born, where they own homes and have a sense of their culture and values. Fundamentally, and Labrador by turns, they are disheartened ple in Newfoundland believe in the future, and despair-

be able to compete

with young people in the job market. who are just going to

Many of these people have children post-secondary institutions.

If they had the choice, they dollars spent on

would much rather have the educational their children. Many in communities als. This was a minority held view that community engendered

As noted, there are many aspects to what can be done to advance sustainability. also argued that TAGS funding not merely to individuwill be the founview, but it did reflect the widely co-operation As a Partnership, we have built this report on the views of communities, tions follow. whose recommenda-

should be given to a community,

dation of any future sustainability. by TAGS, as discussed a maior obstacle to communitv

The divisiveness earlier in this report, is

solidaritv.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMUNITIES

Our Partnership of hundreds had a rare opportunity to hear the views

salmon, fisheries management tion. The resource

should be based on cauup to the limits is not

should not be managed

of what we believe is there. This recommendation new of residents of small coastal communities. Prudence Conservation minister dictates that the lowest estimate advice. Council

the Harris review panel also urged in its report, of stock size to the

From these we distilled actions that we believe communities want to see undertaken government. by key stakeholders, including with partici-

be used to provide

The Fisheries Resource

(FRCC) has recommended

We tested out these conclusions

of Fisheries and Oceans that fish stocks be manand cautious basis. be put into effect.

pants at the Oceans Day wrap-up and had some additional of those communities ing recommendations.

session in St. Johns, On behalf

aged on a conservative

actions put forward.

that we heard, we offer the follow-

It is long since time that this principle THEREFORE, ary principle communities

would want the precaution-

to be applied at the highest order, and it for any other short-term

PATHWAY

TO FUTURE

SUSTAINABILIN

should not be compromised interest.

FISHERY-RELATED

PROPOSALS

2. issues

of immediate principle

concern

where

the

Actions relating to the fishery are made with the aim of creating conditions quent sustainable to allow the restoration, harvest, of an ecosystem and subsewith an abun-

precautionary

is urgently

needed

dance of marine life.

Species chain a)

playing

a critical

role

in the

food

Cape/in

1. Application principle

of the

precautionary

People in communities

nearly unanimously

held the view

29

that there shall be no commercial principle, accepted at the Earth aboriginal Labrador, This community member

capelin fishery. As an pointed out in northern

The precautionary Summit

at Rio, is that the absence of absolute scientific observation from the cod 1990):

the capelin is the base of the food chain for cod (puffins and kittiwakes) and

proof should not be used as an excuse for inaction. closely parallels the following Independent

and other fish, as well as seabirds

all the way to whale species, such as humpbacks

Review of the State of the northern (February

fins. Some argued that the ban on capelin should be put into effect on the basis of the many changes that have been observed indicators; in the stock and conflicting assessment there should others believe that it is doubtful

Stock, chaired by Dr. Leslie Harris and released more than two years before the Earth Summit

This is not to say that in the absence of comprehensive knowledge the world must stand still. It does meun that when our knowledge is deficient we should proceed with extreme caution, and if error is inevitable, we should at least attempt to ensure that our errors are on the right side of the ledger (p. 45). When applied to the fishery, then, the precautionary ciple would dictate that when estimates mass are based on limited, distorted and unproven anomalous models, evidence warnings ecosystem of spawning and/or and As prinbio-

ever be a commercial of small groundfish

capelin fishery because of by-catch in fmed gear, and waste due to dump-

ing by the mobile fleet. As members of the Partnership, we are persuaded on two ground: that the first,

capelin fishery is not sustainable capelin stocks are a necessary

that capelin is the base of the food chain and healthy prerequisite to a restored cod fishery; second, because average size has been small, offshore behaviour unusual worrisome abundance appears abnormal of younger and there is an All of these are spawners.

and/or flawed data

of significant

should be heeded,

action taken to ensure that the stocks are protected. was also found in the task force report headed by Ambassador

signs in a critical stock. we believe that DFO owes these fishing and, indeed, the people of Canada, a full

THEREFORE, communities,

John Fraser in the case of the missing BC

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

explanation

for continuing

quotas for any commercial its data and rationale public forum. principle, on the capelin

approach

to an ecosystem

approach.

The change is similar Sound scientific rain forests, be made but

capelin. We call on DFO to provide In the interim, com:munities fishery.

to that recommended panel in the context wherein

by the Clayoquot of ancient temperate

for any quotas for capelin to an appropriate based on the precautionary would want a moratorium

the panel urged that logging decisions

not with an eye to which trees should be harvested, rather to the state of the ecosystem Decisions after logging.

should, in other words, focus on what is needed Ability to manage limited. All approach ecosystem basis is presently

to sustain the health of the ecosystem. on a multispecies, Communities were also concerned about the shrimp close to rate is still waters. Despite fish-

the greater the need for using the precautionary and cautious management. THEREFORE, immediately ecosystem the communities

ery. It was raised particularly shrimp ecosystems recent technological

in communities the by-catch

found in northern innovations,

would want to see DFO

establish a clear plan to move toward an approach in science and management. Further,

believed to be unacceptably cern about DFO enforcement

high and there is serious conof regulations limiting it. of the extent of by-

DFO should reassess quotas for species where evidence of sustainability and lumpfish). and further, management restoring should have an emphasis ecosystem on nurturing, i.e., manage is lacking (for example, redfish, sea urchins

DFO does not have good estimates catch at present.

Shrimp, like capelin, are a critical part of the food chain, supporting communities THEREFORE, the cod in northern depend. communities would want the shrimp waters. They must be protected as part of the plan to rebuild fish stocks on which

and sustaining

health -

for what remains

rather than what is taken. The goal and preserve a critical short-term

should be to rebuild, protect marine ecosystem,

30

fishery subjected continue.

to an urgent review to assess whether, principle, it should

not merely to maxim&e basis.

bearing in mind the precautionary

profit on a species-by-species

No harvest should be done of any species without analysis. Some formerly

Species c) subject to intensive overfishing

full

underutilized

species, such as to collapse without

turbot, northern

are going from underutilized

Turbot

a management throughout this document, there is a strong People are outeven commere) its Seals

plan put in place. With the collapse of the

As reported

cod stocks and others, every other species is

belief that the turbot is badly depleted. though TACS and allocations further,

being targeted. The concept of underutilized is dangerous and false.

raged that the foreign catch of turbot continues argue that there should be no domestic

were caught earlier, and,

cial turbot harvest. THEREFORE, we believe that the DFO should provide for any quotas for turbot to an approbased on the precauwould want an end to the communities levels.

To the observant

eye it is obvious that the marine life and in our ecosystem is completely view in coastal inter-

data and rationale tionary principle, stocks to historical

along our coastlines

priate public forum. In the interim,

out of balance. There is an overwhelming communities resources that this imbalance

is due to human of our marine

the turbot fishery, at least until there is a plan to rebuild

ference through

careless exploitation should further

for commercial

gain. In this resulting intervene

situation, to correct we heard

many believe humans the ecosystem

cl) Other

imbalance.

In many communities

that governments species by species. We believe that fishshould shift from a single-species responsible restoration

must be encouraged for the harvesting balance.

to implement of marine species, to

DFO is managing eries management

strategies

not only for their commercial of ecosystem

value but to contribute

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

In recognizing

and accepting

that such imbalance

cur-

inquiry would serve a number standpoint of fishery-dependent

of purposes. communities

From the it is a nec-

rently exists, we must take a hard look at the consequences of allowing the population the decimation through commercial of prey species, such fisheries of a number

essary precondition More fundamentally, certainty

to effective planning

for the future.

as harp seals, to increase while at the same time witnessing of critical species at the base of the food chain (capelin, shrimp, herring, etc.). governments in Partnership with industry, must on

it should establish with the greatest and Labrador

possible what mistakes were made so that they

can be avoided in any future Newfoundland

fishery as well as in other parts of Canada and the world. THEREFORE, communities want a public inquiry, or the causes of the annito this

THEREFORE, communities immediately the current

and the environmental crisis in the seal population.

movement

Royal Commission, hilation

to investigate

enter into a process to develop consensus

of the northern

cod stocks. Affected communities to contribute

Among topics to har-

must be given an opportunity process. Should the governments, undertake conclusions brought in this report

be reviewed would be the potential vesting and management strategy.

for a marketing,

federal and provincial, -that

not to accept

this action, we invite the government about through domestic overfishing, process,

3. Environmental

Assessment

the collapse was a lack of an (draggers), large corpoof the inshore

The Biodiversity Canada) Canadian commits

Convention

(signed and ratified by assessThe new pro-

caution in setting quotas, a politicized extremely efficient and destructive

Canada to an environmental Assessment including

technology

ment of any activity that impacts on biodiversity. Environmental

and a bias in decision making that favoured rations and the offshore and more traditional over the concerns gear types.

Act establishes the cumulative

cedures for full assessments, environmental economic

effects of any activity, as well as its social,

5. Public reopened involvement fishery in setting terms for a

and cultural impacts.

31

THEREFORE, conducted

an environmental

assessment

should be

of all gear technology,

and this evaluation The environThere is tremendous dependent anxiety in small communities are worried that by the federal we wont learn from the mistakes communities of the past. Fishingthat, just as the fish-

should be done before the fishery reopens. mental assessment government Environmental should be conducted

within the terms of the new Canadian Assessment Act, in order to ensure that are taken

ery was over-harvested extension

in the critical period after the over-exploita-

social and cultural impacts of the technologies into account. Due to the overwhelming dragger technology, mental assessment, dragger technology. around concern

of the 200-mile limit following

tion by foreign draggers in the late 1960s to 1970s politics and large corporations about the impacts of too quickly. THEREFORE, de-politicized clear minimum fashion. criteria for reopening in a public, transparent the and pending Moreover, completion of the environfishery should be established will dictate reopening the fishery

there should be a ban on the use of Canada should urge caurole in the current scene in the use of draggers

tion on the international state of overfishing

the world and their potential

in the worlds major fisheries reported Organization.

by the UN Food and Agriculture

6. Community

involvement

One of the central tenets of sustainable emerged

4. Public inquiry

development

that

from the Brundtland

Report was that local comIt recommended that

munities decisions resources.

should have greater access to and control over affecting their resources. should have a decisive say over their

The issue of the need to deal with the past before being able to plan for the future was raised universally meetings. in our We have come to agree that there must be for the state of the resource. Such an

small communities

Over and over again, we heard the same point communities. Moreover, a strong

accountability

from small outport

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

community

voice should help de-politicize

the decisions

Marine protected of mechanisms

areas should be achieved by a number such as National National Marine Conservation Wildlife Areas (Canadian Oceans Act (DFO) or such as the

made about resources. THERFFORE, decisions local communities must be involved in all

Areas (Parks Canada), that affect them, especially in decisions management. related

Wildlife Service), the proposed through provincial

legislative mechanisms

to natural-resource community agement

Aspects of meaningful innovaco-man-

Wilderness

Areas and Ecological Reserves Act. the government of Canada and the governshould move forthrough Further, the Oceans they

involvement

include the following: to facilitate involvement,

tive new arrangements of resources,

THEREFORE,

and the incorporation into policy decisions. involvement

of traditional As has already

ment of Newfoundland ward in the development for marine protected should honour Spaces program

and Labrador areas (including

ecological knowledge been noted, community conservation

of a full range of mechanisms

should be subject to

considerations.

Act) and their timely implementation. their commitments in terms of establishing areas.

to the Endangered a system of

7. Rights

of adjacency

marine protected had certain rights based on The Harris review context it would seem for access contiguous dependent to on
9. Enforcement

Historically,

communities

their proximity altogether

to marine resources.

panel noted, In the Newfoundland appropriate

that first preference

Despite the desperate instances commitment

state of the fishery, we heard many of regulations. Enforcement Any serious is critical. fishery will flounder

should in all cases go to the communities the resource, it. THEREFORE, in fishery allocation should be honoured go to those communities whose survival is historically

of non-enforcement

to a conservation-based

and fail with poor enforcement. decisions, the princiTHEREFORE, and consistently porting, hibited species.

fisheries regulations enforced

must be stringently misre-

32

ple of adjacency to resources claim.

and first preference with a historical

to avoid high-grading,

fishing with illegal gear types and catching pro-

8. Marine

protected

areas

10.

Research

It was argued that, as a contribution based fishery, marine protected play. As a Partnership,

to the conservation-

Many found fault with fisheries research

as practised

in on

areas have a vital role to areas to zones within season,

the past. There is a sense that it focussed too narrowly counting fish, as though they were inventory

we agree. Marine protected

on a shelf,

may be large areas with smaller no-harvest certain gear types or closed during spawning closed permanently, or managed ways. As part of Canadas Endangered these sites would conserve marine life. Marine protected side the protected restrictions representative

and too little on the myriad factors that make an ecosystem a vital, organic and changing of fishers information use this to supplement thing. There is a neglect and an absence of serious efforts to scientific research. Fishers and sci-

them, or they may be smaller areas that are restricted

in other specialized Spaces program, examples of

entists, and their respective THEREFORE, ecosystem Furthermore, ported between scientific the necessary

knowledge, scientific

exist as solitudes. resources should be

applied to develop an understanding areas are not, then, simply exclusion for seeding of fish stocks outour meetings is an essential part of regimes area. People attending control Partnerships

of the marine and supand

and manage the fisheries from this perspective. should be established governments databases federal and provincial knowledge.

zones. They create potential believe that community marine protected

fishers to develop appropriate and traditional

for integrating

on gear types or areas in order to create areas. Coastal management

then would utilize marine protected their conservation-based management

areas as a part of regime.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

11.

Licensing

14.

Encouraging

entrepreneurs

There is a great deal of concern, the alleged unfairness tions are necessary both in terms of harvesting tainable communities.

indeed bitterness,

over

In the course of our visits through Unfortunately, ness venture THEREFORE,

13 communities

we

of allocations

to the existing fishery, Fair allocagoals and sus-

met many people with energy, enthusiasm the obstacles to establishing often seemed insurmountable. a mechanism obstacles,

and a dream. a new busi-

and processing.

to achieve conservation

should be put in place to particularly red tape, to

THEREFORE,

a process should be initiated licensing decisions

to ensure for both harsharing

assist in overcoming establishing

more fair and equitable vesting and processing of the resource, licences.

new business

ventures.

with the goal of equitable such measures

including

as multispecies

15.

Resources

to community

development

Although
BEYOND THE FISHERY

communities

are clearly caught in the double base at the same time as govthere

bind of a collapsed ernments

Development

resource

tighten belts and curtail social programs,

are some resources

12. Principles of Sustainable

that have been made available to com-

munities resources

in light of the crisis. We believe that these could be more effectively deployed with com-

As was noted in our community economic tainability province. THEREFORE, overarching communities: Sustainable development the following indicators,

meetings,

traditional

munity input. THEREFORE, government .should direct funding, and

such as GDP, do not reflect the susor the health and vitality of a redirect TAGS funding, ing and implementing should be accepted as the ty involvement Department to assist communities sustainability. in develop-

of a community

With full communiwith the federal those within the comcompensated. There

and in Partnership of Human Resources,

principle

for development

of sustainable

33

munity with the drive and vision to work to develop susshould focus on approaches appropriate and that tainable options should be financially involvement

are labour-intensive, with benefits retained

environmentally

should be community grams such as TAGS.

in the design of pro-

close to the community.

13. Mechanisms

for

dealing

with

a crisis

16.

Planning

There was widespread moratorium, communities

concern

that three years into the being experienced services advice, in

There was widespread munities them. THEREFORE, communities have benetitted

consensus

that the community

that

the emotional

trauma

plans for its future is more likely to have one. Some comfrom the exercise of identifying new enterprises based on their strengths and planning

has not been dealt with. We were surprised Other than vocational

to find that so little was available in counselling for local communities.

there has been little done to assist families in crisis, women or youth. counselling counselling should be provided in areas depression, Adequate in the

community

profiles should be developed, for the purpose of providing Members planning. on such of local

where they are not available, of the community Mechanisms

THEREFORE, counselling, etc. Support counselling problems

with a basis for sound planning. should be encouraged in community

where there is a need, i.e. family counselling, for youth, addictions, groups should also be encouraged. about through

marriage

to put their dif-

ferences aside and participate ipation of all stakeholders issues as economic resources,

should be put in place to facilitate the particin the community management development,

should be made available to address the social brought the upheavals of fishery-dependent communities.

lives of residents

etc. Time is of the essence.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

lMarine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

17.

Education

tourism discussions of education in our meetand train-

to areas managed

by Parks Canada, sites.

in particular

Based on extensive

those run as national THEREFORE, Newfoundland

historic

ings, it is clear that issues related to education ing are priorities recommend for small communities.

National

parks and historic (including

sites in

In general, we

and Labrador

new and existing cri-

all of the suggestions

found on this subject in for their consideraand merit refer-

sites) should recognize sis and be encouraged with national

the need to help in the current to co-operate

the body of our report to government tion. A number ence here. THEREFORE: a) both levels of government ment a training awareness development program were raised repeatedly

with local and indigebenefits consistent

nous peoples to ensure local economic park objectives.

should develop and imple-

20.

Forests

for civil servants aimed at raising of conservation, sustainable

In communities expressed

across the province

the concern is showing

was

and understanding

that forest management

some of the

and environment-economy

integration; for

same warning interests, sustainable

signs that were ignored in the fisheries cricentralization sufficient around large-scale maximum and safety margins, too close to (or beyond)

b) adult basic education ongoing educational standards

should be made a priority overall across the province.

sis: overcapitalization, harvesting

funding to create universal

access and to improve

levels without

especially the undue politicization

1%. Youth

of the setting of quotas. in the

The Newfoundland we went we heard concerns about youth and

Forest Service is currently

process of refining its revised, once every five years woodsupply analysis. There is public concern that the figures by political coming out of this analysis will be distorted pressure and industry lobbying. the harm that can be done by having developed in a closed process by establish(FRCC). pubthat to deal with this problem Conservation

Everywhere

their future. Less often, we heard from youth directly. Although we did make an effort to invite youth, clearly we that the needs have

could and should have done more to give youth a space in our process. In any event, we are persuaded DFO has recognized quota recommendations and has attempted of youth and the impact on youth of the moratorium been essentially THEREFORE, a) programs whether Programs should be developed and implemented, sustainability. ignored.

ing the Fisheries Resource Newfoundland the wood-supply

Council

We suggest that the same process be followed by the Forest Service, with an independent, body established analysis, review the assumptions lic, multistakeholder in order to assess the appropriof harvesting

as workshops

and/or round tables, to foster diaby youth or in close consul-

logue among youth about community should be designed tation with youth; b) youth should be involved multistakeholder c) counselling discussions

were used to generate the figures, determine ate Annual Allowable permits on unalienated tions with respect to the equitable allocation

Cut levels and make recommendaCrown land. that a multistakeholder to balance the different process group does (not at interests

and well represented on community

in all

planning;

We did hear concerns not de-politicize always successfully) play. An alternative larly appropriate

should be available for youth, dealing not but with the psychological crisis.

the process, but simply attempts

just with their career prospects impacts of the current

(and one that may be particuanalysis) documenagency, interests. organi-

in the case of the wood-supply third-party reviewing

is to submit the draft figures and all supporting

19., National parks

tation to an independent of communities opportuniincreased one that is perceived environmental

As noted in our report, a number expressed frustration

as neutral and credible by industry, and community and non-governmental

over accessing economic

organizations

ties that should be open to them through

The results of the review must, of course, be fully available to the public, the industry

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

zations at the same time as it is submitted with no agency having privileged THEREFORE, Newfoundland review process. the provincial access.

to government,

tainability.

The overriding

goal should be to develop a the values people were more selfin order

sense of community should refer the wood-supply

spirit, to recapture

recall from the time when communities government reliant, to overcome Forest Services forthcoming independent to work toward a common THEREFORE, goal -

local rivalries and bitterness survival. suggestions to us.

analysis to a rigorous,

and public peerwe offer the following based on what many in communities expressed

21.

Transportation

infrastructure

While it is clear that the province

has fiscal constraints the trans-

1. Create

community

round

tables

that limit the funds available for improving portation infrastructure,

Communities

should not wait for people to do it for can do

it is equally clear that improving is an wishes to superb

them. Local efforts, even small and unfunded, much valuable work. Get together

roads and ferry access to much of the province urgent priority, especially if the government potential.

with other communi-

ties, roll up your sleeves and go to work.

pursue its tourism advertisements tourism province department,

(Given the uniformly from the provincial that the

for the province

we can only conclude tourists.)

2. Foster

local

stewardship

is serious about attracting

Meanwhile,

Communities

should take increased

responsibility

to

there are funds being spent on roads which we have heard are not wanted or needed. THEREFORE, decisions portation government should in its transportation on providing for remote an adequate transcommunities within

ensure that local stewardship They can work to encourage poaching Furthermore, munities restricting

practices

are encouraged. wasteful practices.

a local ethic discouraging

and other environmentally

place a priority infrastructure

in some cases it may be possible for comconservation protected measures, quotas, areas. refusing to fish unsustainable

to explore unilateral gear or establishing

Newfoundland

as well as Labrador.

such as collectively

35

COMMUNITY
Although

ACTION
is critical if communities

3. Education

action by government

are to become sustainable Newfoundland

once more in coastal communities are not pow-

Communities

should develop and implement

strategies

to

and Labrador,

make people more comfortable

about adult basic educacable channels, peer

erless. Nor should they feel that they have to sit back and see what government munities. does with these recommendations. they Of course, we hope that this report will be useful to comWe hope that it will validate the concerns policy as a result. can take sus-

tion (such as the use of community counselling and role models, etc).

4. Youth

raised to our Partnership, changes in government

and that they will press for One specific suggestion that should be implemented a dialogue between as tishknowlsoon as possible is to encourage

But we also believe there are steps communities immediately to improve

ers and youth, to educate youth about traditional edge, conservation ethics and community values.

their chances of achieving

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Closing

We offer the above as an attempt dreds of comments

at synthesizing

hun-

Through

this report, we hope we have succeeded

in giving

into specifics upon which key players want to see. Although of any particular they are group of and in

voice to their views. We urge both levels of government to seriously consider planning Ultimately, these proposals and to fully integrate and policy with people across the province. sustainability is about democracy. An aware both

in this crisis can take action. These specifics are what we believe the communities not the recommendations communities,

we have drawn heavily on the voices from in Newfoundland circumstances in sharing

and alert citizenry engaged in the process of governance, coupled with a responsive and caring government, for elected and civil service, are the cornerstones Newfoundland and Labradors future.

within small coastal communities Labrador.

In spite of the discouraging

their lives, people were extremely with us tl_____-__ their knowledge, concerns, -.~<., ; I _ _ _

generous

hopes and fears.

Sustainable

Coastal

Communities

and

Marine

Ecosystems

in

Newfoundland

and

Labrador