Fish Products Industry

Fish Products Industry

Background Information

What's in each profile

Research Base: Quick Scan
This overview is based on research conducted in 1999 and contains the latest data and trends on the sector based primarily on qualitative information derived from secondary sources and interviews with major players in the industry. The information is meant to enrich the understanding of human resource issues presently facing the sector. It was designed to make it easier to find, focus on, or compare particular areas of interest and to allow users to get a general feel for the sector and its human resource concerns.

The economic indicators are in-house statistical analyses conducted in June 2000.

Definition of the Industry

Fish Products Industry (SIC 102) consists entirely of SIC 1021. The sector is comprised of many establishments primarily engaged in eviscerating, skinning, filleting, breading, pre-cooking, blanching or otherwise processing fish including molluscs, crustaceans, fish roe and/or other marine animals and plants as well as establishments primarily engaged in producing fish oil. Frozen fish and chip dinners are products of this industry.

Establishments primarily engaged in selling fresh fish, molluscs or crustaceans either in round form or gutted are classified in Fish and Seafood, Wholesale (SIC 5215), if wholesaling or in Other Food (Specialty) Stores (SIC 6019), if retailing.

Principal activities and products:

• Canned fish products, manufacturing;
• Clams, processed;
• Crab, canned, manufacturing;
• Crustacean processing;
• Fish and chip dinners, frozen, manufacturing;
• Fish canned, manufacturing;
• Fish cured, manufacturing;
• Fish dinners, pre-cooked, frozen, manufacturing;
• Fish fillets, steaks, blocks, etc., manufacturing;
• Fish liver oil extraction, crude, and manufacturing;
• Fish meal, manufacturing;
• Fish roe, processed, manufacturing;
• Fish, chilled or frozen, manufacturing;
• Fish, processed or prepared, manufacturing;
• Fish, salted or dried, manufacturing;
• Irish moss, processed;
• Lobster, processing;
• Marine animal oil extraction, manufacturing;
• Mollusc processing;
• Oyster canning;
• Ready-to-serve frozen fish products, manufacturing;
• Seaweed processing;
• Shellfish canning, manufacturing;
• Shellfish, processed or prepared; and
• Smoked fish, manufacturing

1980 SIC Conversion to NAICS Canada:

SIC 1021 Fish Products Industry:

NAICS 311710 Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (NAICS 3117) consists entirely of NAICS 311710. This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in canning seafood, including soup; smoking, salting and drying seafood; preparing fresh fish by removing heads, fins, scales, bones and entrails; shucking and packing fresh shellfish; processing marine fats and oils; and freezing seafood. Establishments known as “floating factory ships”, that are engaged in shipboard processing of seafood, are included.

This is a secondary industry devoted to processing and transforming the primary product; the primary industry which supplies this sector is the Fishing Industry (SIC 031).

The updated economic indicators refer to the NAICS Industry Group 3117. Data were classified according to SIC codes (Major Group 10) for historical trends.

Characteristics of the Industry

In 1998, the Fish Products Industry segment represented almost 5.5% ($2.9 billion) of total Food Industries manufacturing shipments in Canada. Total manufacturing shipments per employee reached $95,955 in 1990 and catalogued $136,685 in 1998, averaging a demonstrable climb of 4.8% annually. Difference in this productivity measure can occur for several reasons. First, the workers have become more skilled and efficient at producing the goods in question. Second, the industry may have access to more advanced capital equipment than previously. Third, the cost factors in production may have changed (example: lower wages or materials). Fourth, the structure of the industry may have been transformed. Finally, it may be a combination of two or more of these factors. (Source: Strategis)

The supplier to the fish products industry, the fishing industry, consists of three sections: saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing and aquaculture. By far the largest segment is saltwater fishing. Aquaculture is growing in importance as a source of seafood, but much of it is consumed unprocessed.

The largest companies in the fish processing industry have traditionally supplied a certain portion of their raw material needs through their own in-house fishing fleets. However, independent fishers who work on contract in the fish processing industry catch most of the fish used in the industry.

Prices are normally negotiated by fisher organisations, chiefly unions that represent the most fishers. In the case of freshwater fish, the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation buys and processes all fish caught in the Prairies and Northern Ontario, at a set price.

The products of this industry are normally sold at wholesale to grocery chains or to intermediaries who market to smaller stores.

This industry is made up of a few large enterprises with numerous establishments and a large number of smaller enterprises with only one establishment. Industry Canada estimates that in 1995 the eight largest enterprises in this industry, with about nine% of the establishments, processed about 30% of the industry's shipments. The largest processor of fish on the West Coast and one of the three largest on the East Coast are both owned by a large international food products company.

Industry Canada reports that in 1995 there were 400 establishments in the fish products industry; this number has been falling over the last few years. In 1990, the figure was 460.

Roughly 60% of shipments from this industry are from the Atlantic region, 35% from British Columbia and the remainder mostly from Quebec.

The two largest fish processing plants in Canada employ between 500 and 600 people. One is in Nova Scotia and one in New Brunswick. Of the 13 plants with 200 to 500 employees, one is in Nova Scotia, three in Newfoundland, two in New Brunswick, one in Manitoba and six in British Columbia.

Total revenues of the fish products industry in 1995 were $3,970 million, up only about two% from the 1990 figure of $3,892 million. During this same period, manufacturing value added dropped from $923 million in 1990 to $916 million in 1995. To some extent, these totals reflect a smaller base of establishments in the latter year. Industry Canada estimates that revenues for the industry in 1996 were roughly $4,261 million.

The United States imported roughly 51% of Canada's exports of fish and seafood products in 1995, followed by Japan, which imported about 29%. The Japanese share has been rising, from 20% in 1992, while the U.S. share has been falling, from 56% in 1992. Europe has been taking a declining share of Canada's fish and seafood exports, falling from 16% to 10% in the same time period.

The Canadian industry received 54% of its revenues from exports in 1996. Canadian domestic exports totalled $2140.9 million in 1998. In 1998, Canada exported 57% of domestic exports to the U.S., 21% to Japan, and 3% to the United Kingdom. (Source: Strategis)

The same forces that affect sales in Canada influence exports to the U.S. market: packaging, price and advertising. The ability to negotiate a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) compliance agreement will affect shipments to the U.S. market.

In 1998, Canada's total imports catalogued $1472.4 million, which marks a significant expansion of 11% from the 1990 level of $608.8 million. In 1998, the top three exporters to Canada were United States (28%), Thailand, (18%) and Russia (8%).

In 1990, Canada's Fish Products Industry ran a trade surplus of $1524.7 million compared to the 1998 level of $668.5 million. (Source: Strategis)

Updated Industry Indicators

Relative Importance of the Industry in the Economy
The Fish Products Industry, accounting for 0.4% of GDP, represented only 0.12% of all Canadian industries in 1999. (Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM)

GDP Growth Rate Since 1986
The general economy has been growing steadily in the last 12 years whereas the Fish Products Industry has had practically no growth at all (Figure 1). In fact, it declined by 0.8%. The gap between the sector's production growth rate and that of all industries has doubled (20% to 40%) in the last five years. Both the '91 Recession and the collapse of the groundfish stocks contributed to the 18% drop in the industry growth rate between 1990 and 1992. (Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM)

Number of Firms by Size

This industry is predominantly composed of small-sized firms (Figure 2). In 1997, 28% of all firms in this sector had 1 to 4 employees. The industry and the whole economy have the same overall pattern: both are skewed to the right meaning small-sized establishments are more common. However, the fish products sector has comparatively larger firms than the entire economy (17% of all firms in the industry had 20 to 49 employees whereas there was only 6% for the total Canadian economy). (Source: Statistics Canada, 1997 Business Register)

Technology and Innovation

Improved communications allow processors on both coasts to buy fish supplies from a variety of sources and to market more widely than in the past. Most major processors also act as intermediaries for a variety of fish products from trading partners or subsidiaries in other countries.

In addition, improved processing, freezing, storage and transportation technologies allow processors to both buy and sell from a wider range of sources.

One result is the use and transformation of a wider variety of species and the development of a wider variety of consumer products to enter new markets. Underused species, such as tilapia, and the use of various formerly unwanted species to make highly processed end products, have become much more common today.

Because consumer tastes are changing, and because traditional species are in short supply in some markets, considerable consumer and technical research into the use of new species and new combinations of seafood and other foods is undertaken by this industry.

The need to implement HACCP has also spurred some technological change in this industry. While this has been a burden throughout the industry, it has been a particular burden for smaller processors.

Recently created computer software enables trading of finished products from processors to global online customers. The new software matches seller and buyer under selected criteria, such as product specifications, price, volume and terms of payment. Additionally, it links buyers with site-specific dockside services for packaging and delivery.

Using an on-board computer and satellite links, fishers will be able to monitor volume and price information as they fish. Also, an electronic log book and inventory system will allow fishers to track gear sets and catch. (Source: Coastal Community Network)

Change Drivers

Economic/Market
The major issue driving change in the fish products industry has been the decline of the domestic groundfishery on the East Coast and similar problems on the West Coast. As a result of the collapse of the groundfishery, Canadian fish processors have engaged in massive downsizing, converted themselves in many cases to processors of largely imported fish stocks and switched to processing of other fish stocks, chiefly shellfish, which require significantly less processing than groundfish. The result has been a collapse of employment in the fish processing industry and a fall in value added as different fish species have been harvested.

Since the groundfishery on the East Coast remains largely closed, the prospects for a return to the traditional patterns of production in this industry are slim.

Major fish processing companies have replaced native groundfish with shellfish and imported fish, and employment levels and shipments have stabilised at a level roughly comparable with those of the early 1990s. The prospects of a recovery beyond this level, however, are not great.

The situation on the East Coast has not been repeated in British Columbia, which is not as dependent on groundfish. However, depletion of the salmon stock and the need to curtail the salmon fishery to preserve stocks may have a significant impact on employment, shipments and profitability in the West Coast industry.

Regulatory
The major regulatory issue to which the industry has had to respond is the change in the food inspection regime in Canada in recent years. As greater responsibility for food safety has shifted to companies, most processors have had to invest significant amounts in training, implementation and new technology to meet new food safety standards.

The implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) in the fish processing industry has been particularly critical since the United States requires proof of HACCP compliance for all fish products.

The ability to significantly downsize both the fishery and the fish processing sector has depended on federal government funding for retraining (mostly for exit from the fishery and the fish processing industry) and economic development to provide alternatives to fish-dependent employment, especially in rural and isolated communities. The Atlantic Groundfish Strategy (TAGS) program, which has been less than completely successful in persuading workers to leave the industry, was replaced by another program in the spring of 1998. Its success in persuading those in the industry to leave will have an impact on employment prospects in the industry in coming years.

In the fishery itself, both levels of government, on both coasts, have agreed that a licence buyback program to downsize the fishing fleet itself is an important element of fisheries policy. In the future, the fleet and the size of the Canadian groundfish catch available to the processing industry are likely to be limited, though imports of raw fish have offset some of the impact.

Social / Demographic
Per capita consumption of seafood in many emerging markets such as Asia is very high compared to that in North America and Europe. As a result, demand for Canadian fish products from Asian countries has been rising as the relative weight of the U.S. market has begun to decline. This shift in focus may require further technological change and capital investment to produce new product lines suited to these markets.

Employment Patterns

According to the 1996 Census, employment in this industry was of 25,875 and is largely seasonal, especially on the two coasts. Work in larger plants with regular supplies of product is not as seasonal. Part-time work is uncommon but not unknown in this industry.  Shift work is common during the busy season.

In 1996, the top five occupations in this industry were:

• Fish plant workers;
• Labourers in fish processing;
• Fishing vessel skippers and fishermen/women;
• Supervisors, food, beverage and tobacco processing; and
• Manufacturing managers.

Unskilled and semiskilled labour makes up the largest set of occupations in this industry. Including fish plant workers, fish plant testers and graders, labourers in fish processing and material handlers, this group makes up just under 61% of the employment in this industry. Most of these occupations may require some high school education but not a completed high school diploma, and formal educational levels among this group of fish products industry workers tend to be relatively low. Traditionally, labourers in fish processing, or material handling, would have entry-level jobs requiring little formal training; workers might progress to fish plant worker, which does not require more formal education but is semiskilled, with on-the-job training being universal. However, fish plant worker is also an entry level-job. Traditionally, a small proportion of fish plant workers might progress to testers and graders; however, the downsizing in the industry has upset the formal patterns of progression.

Recent employment trends for all these occupational groups are uniformly unfavourable, and unemployment rates are much higher than average. Since the high unemployment rates in these occupations are the result of fish plant closings, often in rural areas, prospects for re-employment in this industry are not favourable, and are not likely to improve in the next few years.

Full-time earnings are generally determined by collective bargaining, but tend to be below the average for the food processing industry as a whole. In many cases, earnings have not increased for several years.

Employment is seasonal in many cases.

A second group of workers in this industry, making up a little over 8%, consists of fishing vessel skippers, fishers and deckhands working for fish processing companies. Formal educational levels in this industry are not very high, on average, although most individuals working in this group will require a commercial fishing licence, and some years of experience in the case of fishing vessel skippers. These are primarily full-time jobs, sometimes requiring an absence from home for several days at a time. As the fish processing companies roam farther afield to secure fish, this is becoming more common. Most people working in this field are men, and the work force is aging, since there have been few new entrants. Deckhands tend to be younger.

Other occupations in the fish processing industry may continue to face restructuring and rationalisation. An indication of the problems that people in this occupation face is the decline in the size of the Atlantic fishing fleet in recent years. While in 1983 there were 233 long liners (100 feet or more in length) fishing the Atlantic Coast (89 from Newfoundland) by 1995 this had dropped to 80, of which 13 were from Newfoundland. In 1996, this number increased slightly to 114 long liners, of which 28 were from Newfoundland. While the traditional unskilled and semiskilled occupations in this industry are not likely to see much growth, there are some skills and occupations, which will be in increasing demand in this sector. They include food science and product development specialists. These workers would normally be highly specialised, and would be trained at a university or community college. Occupations related to these specialties are likely to be in demand for some time to come.

HACCP and food safety trainers, consultants and implementation specialists are likely to be in demand. These may include people trained in engineering, food sciences and biology, all of which would require university- or college-level training.

Updated Employment Indicators

Relative Importance of Employment in Canada
Slightly larger than its share of national GDP, the Fish Products Industry accounted for 0.18% (25,500) of total Canadian employment in 1999. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS) 

Employment Growth Rate Since 1987
Generally, employment in the sector has been dropping drastically since 1989 (Figure 3). The employment growth in this industry is more volatile than that of all industries.  In the last decade, the latter increased by 12% whereas the employment growth rate in this industry decreased by 26%. This huge decrease may be due to the collapse of the ground-fish industry. However, since 1996, the employment growth rate has been recovering steadily. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Provincial Distribution of Employment
The Canadian employment distribution as depicted in the map below, shows the Atlantic Provinces as the greatest shareholders of national jobs in the Fish Products Industry. Eighty-one% of the labour force is located in this region. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Relative Importance of Employment in each Province

Table 1: Relative Importance of Employment in each Province in 1999, Fish Products Industry

PROVINCE	RELATIVE IMPORTANCE (%)
Newfoundland	4.1
Prince Edward Island	2.4
Nova Scotia	1.4
New Brunswick	1.3
Quebec	0.1
Ontario	<0.1
Manitoba	< 0.1
Saskatchewan	<0.1
Alberta	<0.1
British Columbia	0.1

Source: Statistics Canada, LFS

For this sector, the relative weight of employment in each province is also greater in the Maritimes. In 1999, the Fish Products Industry contributed 4.1% of employment in Newfoundland, 2.4% in Prince Edward Island, and 1.4% and 1.3% in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick respectively.    (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Unionisation
In 1999, 30% of the work force was unionised, which is comparable to the Canadian average of 32%. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

The dominant unions are the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) on the East Coast and the United Fishermen & Allied Workers' Union on the West Coast, both of which are affiliated to the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW). The United Steel Workers of America represent some fish plant workers in New Brunswick, while fish plant workers in Quebec are represented by L'Association Québecoise de l' Industrie de la Pêche, and by the Fédération du commerce. Some fish plant workers in other parts of the country, including Ontario and Manitoba, are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers.

The most important union and management organisations are both represented on the board of directors of the National Seafood Sector Council, a sectoral human resource council that engages in training, human resource analysis and some lobbying on behalf of the industry.

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) is an industry organisation representing fish and shellfish, particularly shrimp, farmers in addition to others involved in aquaculture and mariculture seafood products.

Average Income
Recruitment in the fish-processing sector could be difficult since the average weekly salary ($428) excluding the salary of self-employed workers, is well below the national average ($596). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Income Distribution
Figure 4 reveals that over 40% of the workers in this industry earn less than $10,000 yearly and only 10% receive at least $40,000 annually. The income distribution for the Fish Products Industry and for all industries are both skewed to the right. However, wages in this industry are considerably below the national average. (Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Average Actual Work Hours
Employees in the fish-processing sector worked 39 hours weekly, which is 2 whole hours above the Canadian average. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Overtime Hours
The average weekly overtime hours worked in this sector (9.3 hours) were similar to that of the overall economy (9.2 hours). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Part-time Jobs
In 1999, the percentage of part-time workers in the fish products sector was 11% versus 18% for all industries. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Involuntary Part-time Jobs
The percentage of involuntary part-time jobs in this sector is 9% whereas it is only 5% for the entire economy. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate is relatively high in this sector (26%) compared to that at the national level (7.6%). This may be the result of fish plant closings. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Period of Unemployment
In 1999, the average duration of unemployment in Canada was 22 weeks versus 10 weeks in the fish processing industry. Prospects of re-employment within the industry are not favourable. Nevertheless, government relocation and retraining to leave the industry may explain the short period of unemployment.  (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Tenure
The job tenure in the fish products sector averaged 58 months whereas it was 96 months for the whole nation. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Employment Permanence
The percentage of temporary jobs in this industry is 60% as opposed to 12% for all industries. Thus, this sector is not very stable considering the high unemployment rate and the shorter period of tenure.   (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Type of Work
The fish products sector had a low percentage (4%) of self-employed workers in 1999 compared to the entire economy (17%). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Occupational Profile
This industry comprises machine operators and related workers in food processing (41%), general labourers (29%) and the 'Other' category (30%) as portrayed in Figure 5.   (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Labour Turnover
The labour turnover for the fish products industry is 40 percentage points higher than that of total Canada. This suggests that there is little job security in this sector (Figure 6). (Source: HRDC)

Reason for Leaving
There were many layoffs in this sector in 1996. Eighty-nine% of the workers who left the industry did so because of a shortage of jobs compared to 46% for all industries. In the sector, only one% quit voluntarily versus 20% for all of Canada.  Ten% left the industry for other reasons such as sickness, maternity, bankruptcy, etc., as opposed to 35% for the whole nation. (Source: HRDC)

Gender
The fish processing industry, having a similar ratio to the general Canadian work force is almost equally distributed among male (54%) and female (46%) employees (Figure 7). However, males tend to dominate in occupations unique to fishing such as fishing vessel skippers and fishermen, fishing vessel deckhands and aquaculture and marine harvest labourers (90%) and in the 'Other' category (69%). Women lead in fish plant workers (66%) and labourers in fish processing (53%).(Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Age
In 1996, the age distribution of the workers in the Fish Products Industry was proportional to that of the nation as a whole (Figure 8). Workers in the fish-processing sector were slightly older compared to the Canadian average. Thirty-one% of the workers in this sector were between the ages of 30 and 39, while the overall average was 29%. (Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Education Level
Higher education is not a requirement for many occupations in this field. The majority (56%) of workers do not have a high school diploma (Figure 9). Seventy-six% of the work force have, at most, a secondary school education. (Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Previous Jobs
Of the workers who started a job in the Fish Products Industry in 1996, 79% had worked previously in the industry and 8% were new or returning labour market entrants (Figure 10). (Source: HRDC)

Training Patterns

Training in this industry has been almost entirely on the job. Some vessel jobs require a commercial fishing license. While these licenses have not traditionally been tied to any formal skills, the trend toward a smaller, more professionally trained and licensed fishery, supported by levels of government on both coasts, by major unions and by associations (example: The Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters), may change this pattern in coming years.

The trend to diversify fish species used in processing (e.g., the use of fish species such as tulapia and other "junk" species) and to develop new product lines to appeal to consumers mean that product development specialists and food scientists will be in demand in coming years. These are occupations for which a university education is required.

A number of educational institutions have developed programs related to the fishing industry. They include the British Columbia Institute of Technology and Capilano College, the University of Guelph, the University of Prince Edward Island, Memorial University and the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS). All of these have seafood development institutes, some of which have been set up with the financial aid of the seafood processing industry.

Updated Training Indicators

Incidence of Training
25% of the workers in this sector obtained some form of training, while the country’s average was higher at 39% in 1997. (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

Job Relevance of Training
In 1997, 16% of the training in this market was job-related compared to 25% at the national level. (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

Barriers to Training
The main training barriers in this industry were work-related. Fifty-six% of the workers in the sector were either too busy at work or lacked company support (Figure 11). (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

HR Management Practices

Most unskilled and semiskilled jobs in this industry have been filled without formal training requirements, and compensation in this industry has tended to be lower than the average for the food industry as a whole. Given restructuring and downsizing in this industry, this practice is not likely to change.

There has been a major effort, with the aid of government funds, to downsize the industry. Since many of those in the industry are located in rural or isolated communities, government relocation, retraining and economic redevelopment support has been a major aspect of this process. Most training, however, has been for exit from the industry rather than for continued employment in this sector.

Key HR Issues

Organisational Design
Training in HACCP has become mandatory in all food processing establishments. The fish processing industry was the first to adopt HACCP, since it was the first major food line for which HACCP certification was required for entry into the U.S. market. While in-house experts did some of the HACCP training, a major third-party training, consulting and implementation industry has grown. People with HACCP skills will be in demand in most parts of the industry, and they are likely to be trained on the job.

Recruitment
It is not likely that the industry will be growing in the next few years. A number of traditional occupations, such as fishery vessel personnel, are less in demand. This is not likely to change in the foreseeable future, except to the extent that the ageing workforce leaves the industry. Moreover, the industry has also become more automated, requiring fewer unskilled and semiskilled workers.

Training and Development
Formal educational levels for most workers in this industry tend to be low. A number of joint labour-management training programs have been developed with the aid of government funds. In particular, professionalisation in the fishery has become a means of ensuring a minimum of well-paid, secure jobs.

While the issue of what training requirements would accompany a move to a more formally qualified professionalised fishing fleet is still controversial, and "grandfathering" would likely be in place for some years for those already in the industry, this may affect training patterns in at least part of this industry.

HACCP is likely to increase the minimum training required in the industry, and may drive the development and spread of literacy and computer skills programs.

Rewards and Retention
Traditionally health and safety issues have been important in this industry because of the nature of the work. Large quantities of raw materials are processed in a relatively short time and, in many fish plants, plant and equipment have not been modernised because of the low margins available in this industry.

Many plants, especially on the East Coast, operate only seasonally and may be in less than perfect repair. The Canadian Seafood Sector Council has begun developing formal safety programs for fish plant workers, with the aid of federal government funds. These programs are still at an early stage and have not been adopted by all parts of the industry, most of which still rely on informal on-the-job methods of training, in both production techniques and health and safety.

Other
As of the spring of 1998, the TAGS program covering East Coast fishers and fish plant workers was replaced by another program designed to support the incomes of people in the fishing and fish products industry and to retrain those in areas traditionally dependent on the fishery. The successor program will be partly devoted to moving workers and families out of the fishery and fish processing and into alternative employment, through relocation, retraining or economic development of the areas traditionally devoted to fishing, as well as licence buyouts and retirement pensions.

On both coasts, one of the federal and provincial governments' priorities will be to reduce the number of employees in this industry and in the primary industry which feeds it, Fishing Industry (SIC 031). Federal and provincial programs used to reduce dependancy on this industry are likely to continue and perhaps to be intensified in light of the ongoing fish resource crisis on both coasts.

Key Players

Associations
Canadian Association of Fish Exporters

Canadian Auto Workers
http://www.caw.ca/ 

Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters (CCPFH)

Fisheries Council of Canada

Fisheries Economics and Trade

Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA)
http://www.gaalliance.org/ 

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