Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Allan Campbell said today that he supports measures to better enable the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association to collect support fees in order to achieve a strong, unified and self-sustaining organization for the industry in Prince Edward Island.
“I have had the opportunity to discuss the issue of organizational support on a number of occasions with the Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association and fishers from across the province since becoming minister,” said Mr. Campbell. “In reviewing the Certified Fisheries Organizations Support Act, I have given full consideration to possible options to enhance compliance with the Act.” He said the best option to encourage fishers to contribute to the organization certified under the Act would be making membership a condition for eligibility for the Fuel Tax Exemption Card, administered by Provincial Treasury.
“In recent meetings with Fisheries and Oceans Minister Loyola Hearn and provincial fisheries ministers from Atlantic Canada, the need for strong fisheries organizations was discussed,” said Mr. Campbell. “To be an effective Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and a solid advocate on behalf of the Prince Edward Island fishing industry, I need the support of a strong independent organization.”
Mr. Campbell said his department recently received the list of fishers who have paid the support fee to the Fishermen's Association for 2007 which indicated there was a very high level of support to the organization under the Act. “This speaks volumes for the work that the Fishermen's Association is doing on behalf of Island fishers,” he said.
The minister said that 2007 was a transition year for the Act. The department has been working with the Fishermen's Association to iron out the details of the support fee collection and reporting process. There have also been discussions with Provincial Treasury on the eligibility of fishers for the Fuel Tax Exemption Card.
“We will be moving forward in 2008 to fully implement the intent of the Act,” said Mr. Campbell. “I look forward to discussions with core fishers in the coming weeks as the Fishermen's Association holds its local meetings and its annual convention in January. I have a great deal of pride in the fishery and want to ensure that we have the unified voice that is needed to support the fishery in the future.”