Thank you.
I will read through my notes, and as you will notice, my opinion differs from that of Mr. Cull, being that I'm not a fisherman, as Mr. Cull is. I'm involved in the shipbuilding industry, and that's where my point of view is going to come from.
Newfoundland and Labrador's very existence is founded on the fishery. Everyone can picture our forefathers leaving in the dark and rowing their small dories out to the fishing grounds in order to get there before daylight. Much has changed since that time. With advanced knowledge and technology, we have seen major developments in both the fishing industry and the vessels that are used in this industry.
Over the past fifty years, fishermen have progressed from the dory, to the trap skiff, to the 35-footer, to today's most prominent vessel, the 65-footer. Gone are the days when the ordinary fisherman could fashion together some timbers in his shed to build a vessel that would meet the needs of his fishery. Thus began the development of the Newfoundland and Labrador boatyard and the shipbuilding industry in order to meet the growing demand for bigger and better fishing vessels.
Today, many boatyards have expanded into other areas of construction, such as building sailboats, yachts, and pleasure cruisers, but most shipbuilders in Newfoundland and Labrador still heavily depend on the fishing industry for the vast majority of their work. These boat builders have to abide by the rules governing that industry.
For the most part, as the vessels and the industry evolved over the years, so did the rules governing them. However, it is generally felt by most builders that over the past twelve to fifteen years, rules have remained stagnant while the industry and vessel requirements have changed dramatically. Mr. Cull mentioned that when he talked about the change in the fishery from the cod fishery to the gearing up of the shrimp fishery.
The most notable change in the fishing industry came after the cod moratorium in 1992. The fishery of Newfoundland and Labrador changed, as I said earlier, from a groundfish fishery to a shellfish fishery. This meant that boats had to go further offshore to get to the fishing grounds. Boats now required greater fuel capacity, better crew accommodations, bigger holding compartments, massive A-frames and gear-hauling equipment, and so on. In most cases, the boats were just not equipped for the new fishery. Therefore, along came a flurry of activity at the boatyards.
There was a great call for new vessels and vessel modifications of all shapes and styles, with one major limitation, of course. The vessel must not exceed 65 feet. Thus began the dangerous movement of modifying hulls and heightening vessels in order to gain volume and carrying capacity, while still remaining within the allowable cubic number as regulated by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This movement may have made the vessel legal, but it also made it less stable, and this instability seems to have contributed to some tragic circumstances at sea. The increasing of vessel length beyond 65 feet would solve many of these safety issues that plague the boat building industry today.
The changing of these vessels' length regulation would also have a major economic impact on the boat building industry. In the past eight to twelve months, the boatyards have experienced a major downturn. This is because of the low price for the shellfish, the strong Canadian dollar, high fuel costs, and the industry being on a downward cycle after experiencing a boom for the past decade, which saw many fishing vessel owners investing in new vessels.
This slow period causes major concerns for shipbuilders, one concern being the inability to hold on to skilled personnel, and another being the lack of young people entering the boat building trade. It is very difficult to draw new workers and keep skilled workers when you cannot provide full-time employment and cannot offer them a wage that is competitive with booming industries, such as those in Alberta.
We do know there are regulation changes coming, some of which may even adversely affect the shipbuilding industry. For example, the combining of multiple licences for use on a single fishing vessel means a reduced number of needed fishing boats and therefore a reduced number of clients. However, a change in the 65-foot rule for the shipbuilding industry in Newfoundland and Labrador overall would be a positive one. Immediately, there would be an increase in vessel modifications, refits, and repairs and an increase in new construction. For years to come, the upgrade and consequent upkeep of the larger vessels in the fleet would create much employment in the shipbuilding industry. This activity would allow us to keep a core group of skilled workers from leaving the province and entice new tradesmen to the industry.
In summary, I would recommend that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans lift the 65-foot length restriction. This would bring with it many benefits. It would mean that boat builders would be confident that the product they were creating was a safe and dependable one. It would mean that fishermen would have a much better designed boat for stability; better crew accommodations; better fish handling; and better processing and refrigeration equipment. At the same time, it would provide a much needed boost to the shipbuilding industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you.