FFMC Not Happy With Dual Marketing Proposal

FFMC Not Happy With Dual Marketing Proposal

Monday, April 21, 2008 at 13:17

 

 

The president of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation isn’t particularly pleased with a new report suggesting that dual marketing be opened up for sales of inland fish caught commercially.

 

John Wood says the report, which was commissioned for the federal government by an Ontario research company, is light on details and heavy on criticism of the current system.

 

For years now, some northern Saskatchewan fishers have called for the FFMC’s monopoly over sales of freshwater fish to be ended.

 

Wood says the report outlines three different ways this could happen.

 

However, he says it doesn’t touch on what he believes is the likelihood that private companies wouldn’t be interested in helping out fishers in isolated communities.

 

Wood argues the FFMC looks out for everyone who might not be covered under an open market.

 

He also says he hasn’t received any directives from Ottawa calling on the FFMC to change its policies.

 

Wood stresses the only way this could happen is if new legislation was created to change the act the group operates under.

 

He argues some fishers seem to want change for the sake of change — but he says he worries for the long-term future of the FFMC if changes are brought in without long-term thought.

 

Wood adds the report should be released to the public within two weeks.