Statement on behalf of the Green Party Parliamentary caucus: Supporting our BC spot prawn harvesters
The federal green parliamentary caucus is shocked by the sudden and ill-considered decision to prevent spot prawn fishers from flash freezing their catch in small containers at sea.
The sudden departure from the decades long interpretation of regulation around our local BC spot prawn fishery is not only shocking for its lack of consultation, it is also illogical and unscientific.
It is not difficult to inspect a small box of prawns that is easily thawed.
We completely support the statement from James McIsaac of the BC Commercial Fishing Caucus:
“The commercial sector does want prawn size enforced but it does not want the market killed by the enforcement actions. Banning the sale of prawn in tubs frozen at sea does nothing for the sustainability of the industry, it only forces harvesters to package for export or go to processors to enter local markets.”
We must support our local small fishers and their ability to get their product to local consumers. We want to prevent an illogical regulation with the likely consequence of benefiting larger producers for no ecological benefit.
We have written the Hon Bernadette Jordan and requested she immediately reverse this decision.