September 1994
ARRESTING THE DRAGGERS
The seizure of the two American scallop draggers on the Grand Banks under the direction of Fisheries Minister, Brian Tobin in July was a welcome piece of news for all Canadians interested in the preservation of the east coast fishery. This act demonstrated that Canadians and the Canadian Fisheries Department in particular were not going to sit and allow rogue fishing captains to defy the basic laws of conservation set down by the Canadian government and by international treaty.
The two fishing boats from New England set out to fish despite orders from their own American Coast Guard that they should not attempt to fish in that contested area. Perhaps these fishing captains felt that Canada would conform to its mild and frankly cowardly format of previous years and allow the boats to go on fishing while lodging a mild diplomatic protest in Washington. However the indifference of the Mulroney and Trudeau administrations has been replaced by the aggression of the present Fisheries Minister, Brian Tobin. Tobin has realized that militance and the perception that Canada is willing to defend its fishery by military means, means everything when it comes to facing down pirates and lawless fishing vessels on the high seas.
Tobin's actions in ordering the arrest and charging of these Americans is consistent with his actions since becoming Fisheries Minister last November. His actions are also consistent with a careful and regular reading of editorials and columns in this newspaper over the past two years. The Downhomer has advocated military action by the Canadian government on the Grand Banks from the beginning of this fisheries crisis. Fishermen in Newfoundland have been crying out for years for some real protection from predators who fly flags of convenience and then hide behind cloaks of hypocrisy.
There will be no rest in Newfoundland or among Canada's east coast fishermen until the fishery is restored to prosperity. However, a small portion of dignity and self respect is being restored to the performers in this industry with the imposition of a policy of zero tolerance when it comes to breaches of Canada's fishing regulations. Just as the American scallop boats were arrested and towed into St. John's Harbour, so were Quebec turbot fishermen intercepted on the Labrador coast by the federal fisheries department. The foray by Quebec fishermen into Labrador waters to net turbot appeared to be a cheap attempt to cash in on the unwillingness of the Chretien government to annoy Quebecers during the crucial Quebec Provincial Election. Despite this, Fisheries Minister Tobin and the Canadian government in general reacted quickly and put an end to the turbot caper before any real damage could be done.
There are no easy routes to solving the biological and social problems of the Newfoundland fishery. Steady dedication to conservation and preservation of stocks and an adult attitude by fishermen is required and must be sustained over decades rather than days and months. This is the sort of dedication that is needed to bring the fishery back. In the meantime Canadians must show that Canada will protect its sovereignty over the fishing grounds against all comers. Above all else Canada must be consistent in this area. By arresting American boats, Canada and its Fisheries Minister have shown that they will face up to strong opponents and hold true to the proposition that these resources are under the stewardship of the Government of Canada for the benefit of the people of Canada and particularly the people who prosecute the fishing industry in this country.