The NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) hopes a new fish processing plant and some new winter fisheries, among other things, will open up new opportunities for harvesters in the NWT SA国际影视传媒� although at least one MLA says itSA国际影视传媒檚 federal red tape, and not a lack of supply or demand, keeping Northern fishers out of Southern markets.
Members of the Legislative AssemblySA国际影视传媒檚 Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment discussed these and related subjects during a Department of ITI briefing on the state of the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 fishing industry on May 9.
The GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 plan for revitalizing the Slave Lake Commercial Fishery was published in March 2017. Its goals included expanding the NWT market for fish products, attracting more people to the sector, and restarting remote and winter fisheries.
In a presentation to the committee, ITISA国际影视传媒檚 director of economic diversification Joel Holder explained that ensuring sustainable fishing in the territory also means making sure each sector is fished to its quota.
The territory is divided into multiple sectors, each with their own competitive fishing quotas. Most commercial fishing currently takes place in the western end of Great Slave Lake. Holder said new incentives are needed to encourage fishers to harvest elsewhere.
ITI is also working to revive winter fisheries along Great Slave Lake, which havenSA国际影视传媒檛 existed since 2008.
The department also hopes the opening of a new fish processing plant in Hay River will boost the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 fishing industry. Slated for completion in November of this year, the plant will produce a range of secondary products, including fertilizer, collagen, and fish oil, in addition to processing locally harvested fish. Having a processing plant thatSA国际影视传媒檚 certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also opens new doors to Southern markets for Northern fishers.
Kam Lake MLA Caitlin Cleveland argued itSA国际影视传媒檚 not a lack of demand for Northern fish thatSA国际影视传媒檚 keeping local fishers out of Southern markets, but too much red tape. She asked what the department would do to facilitate Northern fishers entering Southern markets.
Holder explained that fishers who want to sell to Southern markets need to have their product processed at a plant approved by the CFIA, and get an export license from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC) to sell outside the territory. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no limitation if you apply through the FFMC for that relief,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Cleveland responded that this process is complicated for fishers; If they undertook this process every time they contracted with a Southern vendor, SA国际影视传媒測ouSA国际影视传媒檇 spend your entire life doing paperwork and not fishing,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淪o thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the challenge that exists today.SA国际影视传媒�
She asked if the GNWT would consider pulling out of the FMCC SA国际影视传媒渟o that weSA国际影视传媒檙e not being held back by the federal government,SA国际影视传媒� and NWT fishers can more easily access Southern markets.
Minister of ITI Caroline Wawzonek responded that the department is keeping a close eye on changes that are coming to the FMCC: Currently, the Crown corporation is in the process of restructuring to provide more decision-making power to harvesters.
Deputy Minister of ITI Pamela Strand added, SA国际影视传媒淲e donSA国际影视传媒檛 truly know what that looks like yet, but it is working toward a harvesterSA国际影视传媒檚 co-op.SA国际影视传媒�
Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson asked if there would soon be new opportunities to enter into the Alberta market. Strand responded that the opening of the new processing plant should open this market up to NWT fishers.
