Mr. Speaker, in the past 30 years shrimp and crab have become the mainstay of the Labrador fishery.
Labrador fishers have seen a 10% cut to crab quotas and now face a 28% reduction in shrimp. Area 6 off Labrador accounts for half of the northern shrimp industry. It supports fishers from our eastern coastal provinces, but more importantly it supports fishers from aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities in Labrador.
Everyone is concerned about sustainability. The fishers and processors in my riding have and are willing to shoulder a fair share of conservation efforts, but not an unfair share.
We ask the minister to respect adjacency: the principle that Labradorians should benefit from the resources of the Labrador Sea, those waters which have sustained us for generations.
We say to the minister to recognize the historic attachment we have to the region and these fisheries.
We demand fairness and call on the minister to fully consult with our fishers before making major decisions about one of Labrador's most important resources.