Fishers Having Hard Time Making Loan Payments

Fishers Having Hard Time Making Loan Payments

Friday, October 21, 2005 at 16:18

The head of the province’s commercial fishers’ association says fishers are going to need a break from Northern Affairs.

John Carriere says many of his peers are having difficulty keeping up with loan payments they owe the department.

He says poor prices, limited markets, a rising Canadian dollar and soaring fuel costs have been hitting fishers hard in recent years — and this year, flooding has disrupted fish behaviour.

Carriere says more and more northern fishers are hearing from collection agencies these days, and he wants the government to help the fishers out.

Carriere adds fishers aren’t asking for loans to be forgiven, but says revised loan repayment schedules would be a big help.

Carriere notes farmers seem to get a fair amount of provincial aid in times of crisis, and he’s hoping northern fishers get the same treatment.