Yes. I'm sorry.
First, it's important to explain what the fishery means to our province and to our coastal communities. Outside the Avalon region, the fishery is what fuels this province. When people think about Newfoundland and Labrador or consider visiting our province as a world-renowned tourist destination, what is it that comes to mind? They picture a rugged expanse of coastline dotted with vibrant coastal communities, inshore fishing vessels, bustling wharves, children running about and nan out hanging her quilt on the line—but soon, without the proper vision and investment in our fishery, only nan will be left.
The fishery is not just any occupation choice for the people of our province. It's ingrained into our culture. It's a way of life inherited by our children from Conception Bay to Fortune Bay to Green Bay and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Only by recognizing its value and its significance can we secure a future for our next generations that want to maintain this way of life.
The fishery of today is not the fishery of the past. An enormous amount of work and sacrifice has been undertaken over the last 30 years to modernize the commercial fishery. The objective of this industry is to provide good, meaningful work to the people of our province—jobs in inshore fish harvesting as either owner-operators or crew members, working in processing plants, or contributing to one of the related industries that support the commercial fishery.
Professionalization, diversification, science, safety and quality have all become cornerstones of our world-renowned fishery. Our province was once the king of cod, but in 2023 we have a plethora of high-value seafood exports that all contribute to our reputation as having some of the best seafood in the world. These are species like snow crab, lobster, halibut, tuna, herring, shrimp, capelin, sea cucumber, whelk and, yes, cod.
Over 17,000 people rely directly on the fishery. As an industry valued at over $1.4 billion each year for our province, its economic and social worth cannot be discounted. Protecting the owner-operator fishery goes hand in hand with long-term coastal sustainability. The owner-operator fishery contributes meaningful jobs to our province, and the federal government must enhance its dedication to enforcing fleet separation policies. The new Fisheries Act and federal regulations around the subject acknowledge that the owner-operator fishery brings substantially more value to our economy than corporate-owned fisheries. However, our industry continues to suffer the ill effects of corporate control. It is therefore essential that the federal government ensure that these regulations are vigorously enforced to bring consequences to delinquents and protect the future of our communities.
In addition, we ask you to make important commercial species a priority for science and research. The federal government is responsible for assessing the health of our marine species and determining management plans based on those assessments. When this research is not prioritized and important surveys in science are not undertaken, our coastal communities suffer. Species like mackerel, snow crab, seal, northern shrimp and northern cod are all vital to the economy of our province, and yet the lack of federal prioritization has led to incomplete updates for important species. Fish harvesters and plant workers bear the burden of this failure when quotas are set based on the available science.
Finally, I am here to ask you to make urgent and necessary changes to the federal employment insurance program. Over 30,000 seasonal workers in our province rely on a robust and reliable employment insurance program. These working people are vital to the two important seasonal industries of our province, tourism and the fishing industry, and they must be protected.
These workers are currently living through a financial crisis. An already difficult year has been compounded by inflated employment numbers, leading to a benefit crisis. Many people will now be without income for up to two months before the next fishery begins. Incomes will be reduced by up to $400 a month. People are already choosing between putting food on the table and paying the heat bill. Thousands will be forced to go on social assistance. Others will be forced to leave their communities.
The result is certainly not something for the quintessential tourism commercial. These people were told that help was coming, but in fact they've been left out in the cold with no assistance from the federal government. Seasonal industries are vital to the economy of Canada and the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. They deserve respect, they deserve dignity and they deserve help. The EI system must be reformed to be more responsive to the needs of working Canadians. The time for change is long overdue.
In summary, I once again respectfully request that your committee consider the importance and value of our province's owner-operator fishery for all that it contributes to the social and economic fabric of Canada as a whole.
Thank you.