Trip quotas imposed
Trawl prices fail to reflect market
Improved trawl catches and groundfish markets have not translated into imporved earnings for trawl fishermen, says UFAWU trawl organizer John Radosevic, demonstrating once again the need for a trawl minimum price agreement.
"The companies have made very minor upward adjustments in some prices in recent weeks," Radosevic said May 26, "but the changes are inconsistent and
fall far short of compensating for tremendous increases in fishermen's costs, particularly for fuel.
"The increases are welcome but insufficient. The only way for fishermen to win their fair share of the production is through collective bargaining."
B.C. Packers' Steveston plant has a full shore crew at work on groundfish and has put vessels on a 150,000-pound trip limit, Radosevic said, ostensibly to avoid plugging the plant.
"What this tells us is that markets are good, especially in the top-dollar fresh market served by B.C. Packers. Yet fishermen now are having their incomes held down by artificial, company-imposed quotas."
B.C. Packers fishermen face lower prices than those offered by McMillan, Radosevic said, suggesting that the Weston subsidiary is using its market dominance to reap extra profit.
McMillan, for example, has raised its price for rock cod to 15
cents this year from 14 cents in 1982, he said, while B.C. Packers has allowed only a half-cent jump.
McMillan raised grey cod prices to 20 cents from 18.5 while B.C. Packers stuck at 18 cents and BCP's pollock prices remain a penny behind McMillan at 10 cents.
BCP's prices for rock sole rose one cent to 28 cents, but remain 1.5 cents behind McMillan.
As a consequence of the quotas, some Canadian fishermen
are compelled to deliver to the U.S. Some of these fishermen delivered to Prince Rupert before BCP closed its plant there and now have been virtually sent out of the country.
"The groundfish industry should mean jobs for Canadians and stable incomes for fishermen," Radosevic said. "Instead, it is being run by Weston and McMillan as a kind of private domain. See TRAWL — page 2
De Bane presses U.S. for pact
In a last-ditch attempt to reach agreement with the U.S. over the ill-fated salmon pact, federal fisheries minister Pierre De Bane is sending a diplomatic letter to Washington this week offering a solution to the impasse.
But Rob Morley, international affairs advisor to the DFO, remains adamant that no concessions will be given the Americans to entice them to sign the agreement.
Presently fishermen from both countries are catching chi-nooks based on last year's quota levels.
Morley expressed hope for an accord, but added with each passing day he was less optimistic an agreement can be reached.
Opposition to the treaty in the U.S. is coming from Alaska, where trollers are arguing they deserve to catch more Canadian fish.
Morley also said the government has rejected a UFAWU demand for a special tactical committee to co-ordinate a fish war with the U.S., claiming that the Minister's Advisory Council and the treaty advisors were an adequate reference group.
Details of the letter to the Americans will be released after the U.S. has had time to consider a response and no industry representatives have seen a copy yet.
The next battle on the grounds will take place when fisheries gives the go-ahead for a fishery on the Taku River, where in past years, the level of fish allocated has been too small for a proper fishery.
UFAWU secretary treasurer George Hewison urged the government to continue to take a hard line and demanded a copy of the letter to the U.S. be released to the industry immediately.
"It's the fishermen who will suffer any government blunders and we must be fully informed," he said.
Vol. 48, No. 10        2 Vancouver, B.C. 80$     May 27,1983
Low catches, price cuts hit trollers
After more than a month of fishing, B.C. trollers are being plagued with poor catches and disastrous prices, forcing many to tie up until runs improve and prices climb.
Geoff Meggs photo
• It might have looked like an attempt to scuttle the Harbour Provider at dockside, but these fishermen actually were performing a simple stability test as part of a day-long fishermen's safety seminar May 20 in Steveston. See page 6.
But early optimism that prices might rise as the season progressed has withered as B.C. Packers, the acknowledged price-setter, holds firm to 1977 prices.
In Ucluelet, Vancouver Island UFAWU organizer Frank Cox reports runs started to p ick up a little this week. Good weather encouraged some fishermen to head out and try their luck.
Trans Pacific, a local fish processor, is paying $2.10 for large red springs, $1.45 for mediums and $1.15 for small, just slighfly above B.C. Packers' posted price of $2.00, $1.40 and $1.10.
In 1981, the opening prices posted were $2.55 for large, $1.70 for medium and $1.40 for small. Last year's closing prices were $3 for large, $1.85 for medium and $1.30 for small.
UFAWU business agent and chief salmon price negotiator Bill Procopation said the 25 percent price reduction for troll fish exposed the myth that the market sets the prices paid to fishermen and proved the necessity for a minimum price agreement.
"The companies are looking for cheaper fish and they don't want to pay realistic prices to the fishermen," he said. "Just because they pay less doesn't mean the consumer is paying less or that the fish isn't being sold at a profit."
For years many trollers have repudiated arguments that the net fleet agreement doesn't affect troll prices, but Procopation said this year that is exactly what is going to happen.
Pacific Trollers Association spokesman Dave Currietold The Fisherman the situation is grim for trollers and many day boats aren't even going out.
Pearse plan approved
SEP gains $44 million boost
In a move based on the recommendations of the Pearse Report, fisheries minister Pierre DeBane has won additional funding of $44 million for a two-year transition phase of the Salmonid Enhancement Program.
In an Ottawa news release, De Ban6 said the funding "will allow for the continued operation of existing fish production facilities and related activities,
while undertaking long-term planning and preparatory work necessary for the continuation of the SEP."
The funding falls far short of the full Phase 2 program demanded earlier this year by the Minister's Advisory Council, but it is well above the minimum operating budget some SEP officials feared was in the works.
The money will allow existing
economic development, public involvement and lake enrichment programs to continue. Limited new projects will be possible and detailed planning for Phase 2 will begin.
"Because of concern for the conservation of chinook salmon stocks, chinook fish hatcheries will be expanded," De Bane said, "and a large number of small-scale habitat restoration projects will be initiated."
De Bane applauded the lobbying efforts of Senators Jack Austin and Ray Perrault in winning the funding but did not mention the unanimous support of the B.C. public for the program until the last line of the release.
SEP director Ward Falkner said the additional funding was very welcome given the current See ENHANCEMENT — page 2
He also agreed that the outcome of the net fleet negotiations, especially for pinks, will affect the price trollers get this year.
■The PTA is approaching buyers in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to encourage them to come to Canada in an attempt to create competition to raise the prices, he said.
"I don't know how effective its been, the prices are still down," he said.
Currie said the situation won't See TROLL — page 2
Salmon talks move slowly
UFAWU salmon negotiating committees are gearing up for key meetings with the Fisheries Association May 30, May 31 and June 1 in which company contract proposals are expected to be tabled.
UFAWU tendermen tabled their 1983 contract demands May 17, calling for a wage increase of 15 percent in a one-year agreement. Tendermen also are seeking improvements in grub allowances and some benefits.
Even if the increases were granted in full, said tendermen's negotiating committee head George Hewison, packer crews will remain well behind inflation and receive little compensation for the drastic decline in jobs in recent years.
All three negotiating committees are waiting for company replies to their opening demands.
The salmon price committee is to meet the operators May 30. Tendermen go to the table May 31 and on June 1, shoreworkers negotiations will resume.
Native Brotherhood spokesman Cliff Atleo said the Brotherhood negotiating committee met the operators May 12 and has scheduled a second meeting for June 2.
Atleo said the Brotherhood's opening proposals have not been released for publication.