Transport Canada isn’t giving fish harvesters enough time or guidance to comply with new safety regulations, which come into effect July 13, says Melanie Sonnenberg, president of the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters Federation.
Fifteen fishing organizations representing more than 20,000 men and women in the fishing industry attended a meeting last Thursday with Transport Canada’s Atlantic region but walked out in frustration, she said.
“It was a perfect storm of frustrations,” Sonnenberg said. “Twenty thousand people are a lot of people to bring up to speed. They need to understand what’s going to be required of them to become compliant.
“The problem is that how the regulations are implemented and what they actually mean.
The regulations announced last July are an attempt to reduce deaths related to falling overboard and to the stability of vessels, department spokesperson Marie-Anyk Côté said in an email Monday.
Transport Canada consulted industry players on all coasts, including vessel owners and safety groups, she said. The year between the announcement or the new rules and their implementation was sufficient for owners to become familiar with the requirements.
Côté also said Transport Canada was working with the owners of small fishing vessels to help them meet the new rules and has provided web links to helpful documents.
The regulations announced last July are an attempt to reduce deaths related to falling overboard and to the stability of vessels, department spokesperson Marie-Anyk Côté said in an email Monday.
Transport Canada consulted industry players on all coasts, including vessel owners and safety groups, she said. The year between the announcement or the new rules and their implementation was sufficient for owners to become familiar with the requirements.
Côté also said Transport Canada was working with the owners of small fishing vessels to help them meet the new rules and has provided web links to helpful documents.
The regulations announced last July are an attempt to reduce deaths related to falling overboard and to the stability of vessels, department spokesperson Marie-Anyk Côté said in an email Monday.
Transport Canada consulted industry players on all coasts, including vessel owners and safety groups, she said. The year between the announcement or the new rules and their implementation was sufficient for owners to become familiar with the requirements.
Côté also said Transport Canada was working with the owners of small fishing vessels to help them meet the new rules and has provided web links to helpful docouments.
2017 CBC/Radio-Canada