The Ontario Public Service Employee Union (OPSEU) is claiming the provincial government is privatizing commercial fishery inspections on Lake Erie, something the government denies.
At issue is the Commercial Fishing Tote Program, which OPSEU said it supports.
"Where the issue lies is when the tote comes ashore in the boat and they seal this tote, the tote is then off-loaded and sent off to the fish processing plant," said OPSEU Regional Vice-President Len Elliott. "Inside of that plant, it will be opened and inspected by a private entity, not actually our conservation officers from the ministry."
Elliott said staff hired by the Ontario Commercial Fisheries Association, an organization all fisheries are a part of, will inspect the totes at the plant, and that's unacceptable.
"That is like the fox in charge of the hen house. If it's the tote program and it comes to the plant, okay, but it must be Ministry of Natural Resources, Conservation Officers doing that inspection."
However, an email statement to Blackburn News from Justine Lewkowicz, director of communications for Natural Resources Minister John Yakabuski, denies those claims.
"Before being delivered to processing plants, the strapped totes are inspected dockside by port observers or conservation officers who are employed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The agreement does not circumvent the Port Observer's role [Lake Erie Management Unit's compliance program] to inspect the catch. This process has not changed."
"The strapped tote program does not pose any risk to public health or to the sustainability of fish stocks in Lake Erie," Lewkowicz added. "In fact, the purpose of the strapped tote program [which has existed in its current form for the last 10 years] is to ensure the quality of fish for a better product for consumers."
