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Council voicing opposition to allowing herring roe export

Prince Rupert City Council is adding its opposition to a request by the Seafood Producers Association of British Columbia that export restrictions be lifted for unprocessed herring roe.
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Councillor Kathy Bedard weighs in on the export of unprocessed herring roe.

Prince Rupert City Council is adding its opposition to a request by the Seafood Producers Association of British Columbia that export restrictions be lifted for unprocessed herring roe.

For the last few years herring roe has been processed at the Canfisco plant in Prince Rupert, often providing shore workers with enough hours to reach the threshold for Employment Insurance eligibility.

The United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union (UFAWU) is opposed to lifting the restrictions and sent City Council a copy of its letter addressed to Susan Harper, Director General Trade and Controls and Technical Barriers Bureau for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

“The export of this unprocessed resource will result in the loss of hundreds of jobs, both union and non union, on the North and South Coasts of B.C.” wrote UFAWU-CAW president E. Irvin Figg.

Mayor Jack Mussallem said it comes down to an effort between companies, shore workers and fishermen who harvest the herring to all get work.

“It’s unfortunate there’s a regulation in there which does not allow for all three of them. Obviously if you can catch, you can harvest more herring, there’s a greater opportunity to have that shipped and sold. But at the same time to do it at the expense of the shore workers’ jobs is an even greater concern,” Mussallem said.

In its letter to Susan Harper, dated November 22, 2010, the SPABC asked that restrictions on export of unprocessed Pacific roe herring be eliminated.

According to the association’s Secretary/Treasurer Chris Sporer, the market for herring roe in Japan has become increasingly competitive and challenging for Canadian producers.

“The demand for high priced gift items has declined and the supply, particularly from United States fisheries in Alaska has increased in both quantity and quality. United States suppliers have the advantage of providing their customers with either herring roe, or frozen, whole herring with roe in,” Sporer explained in the letter.

Weighing in, Rob Morley, Vice President of Canadian Fishing Company, told Mayor Mussallem that the removal of the restriction would not result in all roe herring being exported unprocessed.

“Lifting the restriction will provide BC producers the flexibility to be able to diversify their product offerings and reach new markets and customers. Nonetheless, we expect that a significant amount of herring roe will continue to be marketed in its traditional salted roe form,” Morley said, adding that Canadian Fishing Company has an existing commitment to its collective agreement to process northern caught and frozen roe herring in Prince Rupert.

Morley suggested a compromise, urging council to endorse at least 30 per cent be permitted to be exported whole frozen on an interim basis.

Councillor Kathy Bedard said she favoured the 30 per cent export compromise.

“It gives them some room to play with to sustain their business in some shape or form and by doing so providing employment on the other side. I am in the position of wanting to support the 30 percent being permitted so that you’re creating business. If you say “no” you could possibly close down the herring roe here on the North Coast,” Bedard said.

While Mussallem agreed it was reasonable compromise, he told council, “at the same time while we’re all talking to each other, none of us have any control, nor can afford to trust the bureaucrats that set this regulation. It’s a federal regulation. While I can appreciate that there must be a compromise, nobody wants to lose what we have today.”

In the end, however, Councillor Bedard voted in favour of keeping the restriction in place, along with Councillors Anna Ashley and Nelson Kinney, while Councillor Sheila Gordon-Payne was opposed.

“There’s healthy discussion in front of us from all parties involved that are moving their cases forward to government and the decision makers and I’m not convinced that this is something that I need to weigh in on as a city councillor. Absolutely I want jobs in our community, but I think the people that are making the case know best on both sides,” Gordon-Payne said.