OTTAWA, Ont. — Leonard LeBlanc says his phone has been ringing off the hook.
The retired fisherman of 33 years, now the president of the Gulf of Nova Scotia Fishermen's Association, said with the lobster season looming in northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, fishermen and their families are scared due to the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic.
“I had a call from a fisherman’s wife who was crying on the phone,” LeBlanc said. “She said, ‘I don't know what I'm going to do this spring. My husband is going to have to be separated from me for the entire fishing season, we have two young kids and he doesn't want to take the chance to infect the kids with the virus’.”
Fish harvesters and processors have been deemed an essential service by the federal government, but some are concerned going ahead with the season would be a recipe for disaster for their families and communities.
Conrad Grover and his wife Lisa fish for lobster in northeastern Cape Breton. They said the government is giving mixed messages about physical distancing and staying home while expecting fish harvesters and processors to carry on with business as usual.
“On a boat … you're shoulder to shoulder, you're in an environment that's wet and cold and you're standing side by side. Not to mention dozens of people gathered on the wharf where the catch gets weighed, handling the bait and so on,” Conrad Grover said.
“What's going to happen when you throw hundreds of people back into this routine of people from different families having to travel in the same vehicle and work next to each other?”
LeBlanc said there are also major concerns when it comes to plant workers.
“You could have (300) or 400 workers in one plant, and they all carpool, they all sit together and eat, they all go sit together and smoke,” he said. “How is that conducive to solving the problem?”
In Gaspe, Que., there have already been cases of plant workers and fish harvesters testing positive for COVID-19.
LeBlanc said he’s worried that if the coronavirus is introduced to small fishing communities, there could be tragic results, especially considering the limited health-care resources plus the age and underlying health conditions in the population.
“If we open up the fishery, three-quarters of our population will become front line. It would be like that in every community and every fishing village,” he said. “It doesn't make sense.”
Financial concerns
On top of the health concerns, the Grovers and LeBlanc are worried about the lack of market for their catch this year.
“They're talking about paying us … two to three dollars a pound, plus limited days of fishing, limited landings, boat quotas. Economically, it doesn't add up at all,” LeBlanc said.
Many fish harvesters and processors are hoping the season is cancelled. They want the federal government to step in and offer a package specific to the industry so they don’t have to expose themselves and their communities to COVID-19.
“We did a survey of the fisherman population in the Gulf of Nova Scotia. The consensus was that 88 per cent (said) if we get a feasible package back from the government they will not go fish lobster and instead protect our community,” LeBlanc said. “That is massive. Usually fishermen have a hard time coming to a consensus.”
Unlike other industries, and even other fisheries, LeBanc said, the lobster fishery in the Gulf and other areas of Atlantic Canada is short and can’t be postponed.
“We need a system or a package geared for our industry for our needs. … If the government will help us a little bit, we will do a great deal of help to our community by staying home,” LeBlanc said.
“It would be a lot cheaper to pay someone (employment insurance) and leave them home than to pay to take care of them in hospital.”
Responding to a request from SaltWire Network, Jane Deeks, a spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said in a statement that as essential workers, fish harvesters and processors are permitted to go to work, but if anyone feels sick or unsafe, or has to stay home to care of someone, they should stay home.
“Our government has introduced multiple measures to support people who cannot work right now, including harvesters and processors. Anyone who meets the criteria can apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. We also launched the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy to support businesses that are hardest hit by the pandemic. This can help harvesters who have a crew ensure their staff have income,” the statement reads.
Deeks said the government is continuing to work with various industries to ensure they get the sector-specific assistance they need, including fisheries.
“We know there is more to do, and we will continue to work hard to ensure that no one in the seafood sector has to choose between their health and their financial security.”