Fishing Industries

Fishing Industries

Background Information

What's in each profile

Research Base: Quick Scan
This overview is based on research conducted in 1998 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 1999.

Definition of the Industries

The fishing industries (SIC 031) consist of salt water fishing (SIC 0311) and the inland fishing industry (SIC 0312).
Services incidental to fishing (SIC 032) consist only of services incidental to fishing (SIC 0321).
1980 SIC Conversion to NAICS Canada (* indicates partial link):

0311 Salt Water Fishing Industry:
112510* Animal Aquaculture (salt water aquaculture); and
114113 Salt Water Fishing.

0312 Inland Fishing Industry:
112510* Animal Aquaculture (inland aquaculture); and
114114 Inland Fishing.

0321 Services Incidental to Fishing
112510* Animal Aquaculture (fish hatcheries, fish farming);
418990* All the other wholesalers-distributors (bait, preparation and distribution services);

541710* Research and development in physical sciences, engineering and life sciences (research and development services in the fishing area);
811310* Repair and maintenance of machines and of commercial and industrial equipment, except motor vehicles and electronic equipment (fishing gear, repair services);
911290* Other federal protection services (fishery surveillance and protection services).

SIC 031 is the main industry group providing raw material to the fishery products industry (SIC 102), while SIC 032 is a service industry consisting of a wide variety of highly specialized professions closely linked to fishery maintenance and management.

Characteristics of the Industry

Canadian fish and seafood exporters continue to participate in the two major food fairs in the world, held every year alternating between Paris and Cologne. These fairs are the ideal place for Canadian suppliers to meet buyers from Europe and the rest of the world.

There has been a noted decrease in fish and sea products in Canada for many years, on both the East and West coasts. The reduction of reserves is still ongoing and the government has been compelled to intervene by adopting restrictive measures to ensure that future generations might still be in a position to consume sea products. License buy-back and quota programs have been instituted and this has decreased the number of fishermen and of fish caught. The smaller fishing operations are the most affected (in favour of larger operations) and since the beginning of the 1990s there has been a restructuring of the workforce in the fishing industry. Larger companies use technologies which are much more complicated than those in smaller operations and they therefore need a much more qualified and reduced workforce. The new unemployed workers have less and less chance of finding a job in this area; they must therefore be given additional training to re-enter the fishing market or to try new careers, but much still has to be done because fishermen usually show a certain resistance to solutions proposed by the Canadian government. (Source: Industry Canada, Strategis)

According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the total value of fish landings rose to $1.536 million in 1996 on both coasts (that is $1.120 million on the East Coast and $416 million on the West Coast). For the same year aquaculture production rose to $350 million.

The fishing industry is made up of a great number of independent operators who sell their produce as independent contractors to fish processing plants; it is also made up of fishermen and fishing boat crews working for commercial fleets some of which belong to processing companies.

On both coasts, approximately two thirds of fishing boat captains and fishermen are self-employed workers. In the aquaculture area, they are usually small independent operators involved in fish farming.

Although fishing activity is concentrated on the coasts, Fisheries and Oceans Canada indicates that 6,900 people held inland fishing licences in 1996 (inland fishing in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, the North-West Territories, Quebec and New Brunswick).

Not nearly as many people are involved in aquaculture activities; there are between 2,000 and 3,000 and a good percentage of them work on the coasts.

Of the roughly $350 million generated by aquacultural production in 1996, about $100 million is from British Columbia, the rest comes almost all from New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. There is very little fish farming in Ontario.

Earnings from fish landings have fluctuated considerably in the last few years. From 1994 to 1996, earnings from Atlantic catches remained fairly steady while those from the Pacific dropped considerably. In 1996, revenues generated by commercial salmon fishing on the West Coast were less than half the average revenue generated at the beginning of the 1990s.

From 1991 to 1996, the value of aquaculture production increased by 78% in Canada. 

Demand for aquaculture products, and more particularly salmon, trout, scallops, and oysters increased over the last years. Although exports to the United States remained steady or rose slowly, demand from Asian markets increased much more rapidly.

In 1995, earnings from fish and seafood exports increased by 7.4% to reach a high point of $2.9 billion dollars. This increase was entirely due to high-value shellfish and to aquaculture products exported to the United States and Japan. Earnings from shellfish exports to Japan produced the greatest increase in 1995, over 50%. The American market was the richest for Canadian fish and seafood exports in 1995; it accounted for half export earnings and 59% of the volume. Japan was the second most important market for Canadian producers (18% of the volume and 29% of earnings).

In the United States, seafood consumption is governed by a series of economic and commercial factors such as sensitivity to price increases. Changes in distribution networks, cost sharing between grocery chains and major wholesalers and the continuing requirement to ensure supply and re-supply have produced an increase in costs on the American market and a reduction of export margins.

On the American market, fish sales to restaurants have increased while exports to the retail market have decreased in terms both of revenue and tonnage. To provide fish to the market quickly new freezing technologies must be adopted and barriers preventing the entry of smaller companies or groups of fishermen must be lifted.

In the aquaculture sector, to dispose of a product on the export market at a cost-price ratio which makes a new investment worthwhile, a series of environmental and economic problems must be solved.

Updated Industry Indicators

Relative Importance of the Fishing and Trapping Industry in the Canadian Economy
The fishing and trapping industry represents 0.1% of the total Canadian GDP. In absolute numbers, the contribution of the fishing and trapping industry amounted to $780 million in 1998; this is very little and that is why fishing and trapping data have been grouped in a few sections of this profile. (Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM)

Growth Rate and Trend of the Fishing and Trapping Industry and of the GDP since 1984
Overall, the growth rate of the fishing and trapping industry has dropped since 1984 while the Canadian GDP has grown during that period. (see Figure 1). This drop can be explained in part by the government’s restrictive policy on the number of catches in the fishing sector. (Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM)

Number of Firms by Size

The distribution of companies by size in Figure 2 shows that a strong majority (over 80%) of businesses in the fishing and incidental services sectors have fewer than five paid employees. In Canada, establishments with fewer than five employees account for 68.4% of establishments. The important representation of smaller companies could indicate a fishing industry with many independent workers (see the section entitled Type of Work for more details). (Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Register,  1997)

Technology and Innovation

Faced with the strong pressure on wild fishing resources, aquaculture will undoubtedly grow rapidly, but only if technological, environmental and economic problems are solved. These problems spring particularly from sicknesses and the genetic traits of cultured stocks, the issue of earth and resource utilization and the development of new technologies aimed at reducing the energy consumption involved in aquaculture.

To solve these problems, the industry will undoubtedly have to call upon more biologists, scientists and engineers for some time to come. Issues related to resource use in the farming of shrimp and salmon, two of Canada’s main aquaculture products, are likely to require research and development activities in the future.

The technological issues involving traditional fishing methods are found mainly in the area of new marine navigation equipment, new technologies applied to fishing gear (because of the necessity of landing new species) and the requirement to meet responsible fishing standards.

These new technologies and practices could lead to a higher basic level of education to work in the fishing industry and will entail new regulation requirements such as the certification of professional fishermen, a practice already found in Newfoundland and which could also be adopted in the other provinces.

Change Drivers

Economic/Market
Market pressure resulting from the decline of certain resources and the necessity of finding further resources to reach new markets have changed the range of species landed, fishing technology and equipment, and overall skill requirements.

On the East Coast, dwindling ground fish stocks caused an increase in the harvesting of shellfish. There has been an increase in the harvesting of such species as snow crab, shrimp, sea urchin, surfclam and other underfished species. Furthermore, herring roe is now a mainstay of the industry on the East Coast.

On the West Coast, catches of wild salmon have decreased and have been partially replaced by more intensive harvesting of shellfish.

Sea fishing still produces 80% of worldwide fish and seafood supplies, but fish farming is growing more rapidly than fishing. Close to 40% of the salmon consumed today comes from aquaculture, that is 6% more than ten years ago. Also, 40% of molluscan shellfish and 65% of freshwater fish consumed worldwide come from fish farming rather than wild resource fishing.

Demand for wild and farmed fish has resulted in an increased demand for a variety of specialities in biology and in techniques related to the fishing industry: fish biologists, specialized veterinarians and aquaculture technicians, for instance. In all probability, this demand will continue to increase.

Regulatory
Fishing regulations deal primarily with depleting stocks on both coasts and the requirement for the government to ensure resource conservation without forgetting economic and social development priorities. Government officials indicate that these conflicting priorities will guide the development of fishing regulations in the immediate future.

The federal government’s present priority is the preservation of fish stocks by restraining the industry on both coasts and by limiting the number of active fishermen and boats. This will bring about an overall decline in employment in this sector even if the harvesting of new resources leads to an increase in sales over the next few years.

On the East Coast, fishing regulations are aimed at responding to the need for revenue on the part of many unemployed fishermen, a great number of whom live in small localities where other economic resources are rare.

On the West Coast, regulations take into account the conflicts between the Canadian and American governments over salmon fishing rights and the need to reconcile the interests of native fishermen, commercial fishing and recreational fishing. As on the East Coast, all this will result in a decreased fishing fleet and a reduction in the number of jobs in the fishing industry.

One aspect of government regulations which will profoundly affect those who remain in the fishing industry is the imposition of a code of conduct for responsible fishing. On both coasts, that will mean comprehensive recycling programs, the purchase of new equipment and the application of new technologies.

In the spring of 1998, the federal government finalized a new aquaculture development program to direct the activities of aquaculture in Canada. One of the main priorities is to limit and simplify the aquaculture regulatory regime. Given the new markets, that measure is capable of stimulating the growth of aquaculture in Canada.

Social/Demographic
To reduce the number of jobs while maintaining the overall value of catches, government programs will have to be able to convince present fishermen to leave the industry and the standards applied to those who remain in the industry along with their education level will have to be raised.

On the West Coast, the issue is to determine if the government will manage to reduce the fleet and still meet the often incompatible needs of the various groups such as native fishermen, commercial fishermen, sport fishermen and the tourist industry. Compromises will have to be made and these will have an impact on the size of the industry and job levels.

Employment Trends

Jobs linked to aquaculture constitute barely 7% of all jobs in the sector; they are made up mainly of and aquaculture labourers, operators or managers. The work of a labourer in aquaculture can require a high school diploma and specialized training, but there are no standards for this type of work; by and large, training is therefore given on the job. Some pre-university colleges give aquaculture training, but it consists largely of preparing higher level technicians and technologists or aquaculture owners or operators.

The proportion of part-time jobs in aquaculture is equivalent to the average in all the other jobs. Independent workers are represented in a proportion roughly the same as in all other jobs. There are fewer women than in other industries, roughly half the average of women in the workforce as a whole. There are many young workers in this industry; that is explained by the fact that the job requires physical strength and few skills. Salaries for full-time jobs are three quarters of the average of salaries as a whole.

Updated Employment Indicators

Relative Importance of Employment in Canada
In 1998, the fishing and incidental services industry employed 0.2% of the overall labour force in Canada. In absolute numbers, 34,000 people were employed in the fishing industry.
(Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Employment Growth Rate since 1984
Since 1985, the employment growth rate in the fishing sector remained very unsteady compared to the rate of Canadian industries as a whole since 1985. Between 1985 and 1994, the employment growth rate in the fishing and incidental services industry was above the national average. From 1994, the cumulative growth rate in the fishing and incidental services industry began to fall and reached –2.6% in 1995 compared to 1984. The government’s restrictive policy obviously had an impact on the reduction of workers in the fishing sector and in small operations in particular. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Provincial Distribution of Employment
Newfoundland and Nova Scotia are the two provinces with the highest proportion of jobs in the fishing and incidental services industry in Canada with over 55% of the workers in the sector.

The table indicates 0 workers in Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan even though a few people in those regions are employed in the fishing and incidental services industry. For reasons of confidentiality, Statistics Canada never publishes a number smaller than 1,500 for Ontario and Alberta and of 500 for Saskatchewan. On the map, the more important zones appear clearly. They are at the extreme eastern and western portions of the territory. It would therefore seem that in Canada sea fishing is more important than inland fishing. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Relative Importance of Employment in Each Province
It is interesting to note that distribution in terms of percentages differs from that in absolute terms. For instance, in absolute numbers there were 3,500 jobs in the fishing, hunting and trapping sector in British Columbia and this represents only 0.2% of its total employment, while in New Brunswick there were 3,400 jobs in the fishing sector representing 1% of the total employment in that province. In absolute numbers, British Columbia was second among the provinces in terms of employment in the fishing and incidental services industry, while in terms of percentages, it was in sixth place.

Another interesting point is the fact that there is a wide gap in the fishing sector between the portions of jobs in the various provinces in the country. In Newfoundland, for instance, fishing, hunting and trapping represent 5.3% of jobs while the fishing, hunting and trapping industry represents 0.2% of jobs in Canada. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Table 1: Relative Importance of Employment in each Province in 1999

PROVINCE	RELATIVE IMPORTANCE (%)
Newfoundland	5.3
Prince Edward Island	4.8
Nova Scotia	1.7
New Brunswick	1
Quebec	<0.1
Ontario	<0.1
Manitoba	0.3
Saskatchewan	<0.1
Alberta	<0.1
British Columbia	0.2

Source: Statistics Canada, LFS

Unionisation

In the fishing and incidental services industry, only 13% of employees were protected by a union in 1998, compared to the national average of 33. The low rate of unionisation is explained in part by the very large percentage of small businesses in the industry, 80% of which have fewer than 5 employees. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Various unions represent fishermen and negotiate prices with seafood processing companies; they also represent commercial fishermen who work on company trawlers.

Approximately 25 associations represent coastal and inland fishermen; the main ones are as follows:

Fishermen, Food and Allied Workers Union (East Coast), United Fishermen & Allied Workers Union (West Coast), both affiliated to the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) and to CAW Local 444 which represents the Great Lakes fishermen.

Alliance des pêcheurs professionnels du Québec (Quebec); Maritime Fishermen’s Union (New Brunswick and the other Maritime Provinces).

All the unions and associations representing fishermen, including the Native Brotherhood of British Columbia, belong to the Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters, a sector organization for human resources management which handles training and lobbies governments to protect fishermen’s interests.

In the aquaculture area, the main associations are the Aquaculture Association of Canada and the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association; there are also a great number of smaller organizations which represent harvesters of specific species.

Average Income
In 1998, the average weekly income in the fishing and incidental services sector was $560, and the national average was $582. A noteworthy fact is the gap between the income of men and that of women which is considerably wider than the national average. The average income for men in the fishing sector is $710, for women it is $448 which represents 63% of men’s income. For all workers in Canada, women’s income represents 70% of that of men. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Income Distribution
Income distribution (Figure 4) in the fishing and incidental services industry follows the trend of Canadian industries in general. There are a greater number of workers in the lower income brackets and as income increases, the number of workers decreases. There are 31% of workers in the under $10,000 bracket, 22% between $10,000 and $19,000 and finally roughly 2% in the over $100,000 bracket. (Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census)

Average Actual Work Hours 
In 1998, workers in the fishing and incidental services industry worked considerably more than the national norm with 50.9 hours weekly as opposed to 36.7 hours. The small number of part-time workers certainly has an impact on the great number of work hours. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Overtime Hours
According to Statistics Canada, there are fewer than 1,500 workers in the fishing and incidental services industry working overtime, that is less than 4% of the workers. At the national level, the figures indicate that 17% of employees work overtime. It should be noted that a regular work week of 50.9 hours rather than an average of 36.7 can tend to bring down the overtime work figure. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Part-time Jobs
Only 5.6% of workers in the fishing and incidental services worked part time compared to 18.7% at the national level in 1998. The small portion of part-time workers tends to increase the average of hours worked in the fishing and incidental services industry. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Unemployment Rate
Since the unemployment rate is at 8.4%, it can be said that, compared to the Canadian rate, unemployment in the fishing sector is relatively high at 15.5%. Furthermore, the unemployment rate should rise even higher because of the policy aimed at preserving sea resources by limiting the number of fishermen. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Period of Unemployment
The average length of unemployment periods in the fishing industry (not counting incidental services) is almost twice as low as the national rate with an average length of 12.8 weeks compared to 24.1 weeks of unemployment on average in the Canadian economy. However, the average length of unemployment in the fishing sector should tend to rise because the newly unemployed do not seem to be able to re-enter the labour force partly because of structural changes in the industry. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Tenure
In the fishing industry, the average tenure is 129 months and 49 months in services incidental to fishing. In 1998, the national average was 97 months. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Employment Permanence
In the fishing and incidental services sector in 1998, only 33% of employees were permanent while the national average was 88%. This factor could bring down the level of unionisation in the fishing sector. However, to know exactly how and to what extent employment permanence influences unionisation, we would need a more in-depth study. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Type of Work
Over 67% of workers in the fishing and incidental services industry are independent workers as opposed to the national average of 17.6%.

It is this large percentage of independent workers that explains the high proportion of small businesses. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Labour Turnover
Figure 5 shows that labour turnover is much higher in the fishing industry than in industry in general. In 1989, it was at 74% compared to 31% for Canada as a whole. In 1996, labour turnover in the fishing industry decreased to 65% while in Canada as a whole it remained steady at 31%. The gap between the two has thus diminished in 7 years. Labour turnover in the industry is very high because of fishing seasons. Fishermen are hired when fishing begins and lose their jobs at the end of the fishing season to be hired again the following year. These workers therefore help to raise the unemployment rate. (Source: HRDC)

Reasons for Termination of Employment
The main reason workers in the fishing industry leave their employment is the lack of work; this accounts for 83% of employment terminations. That percentage is high particularly when we consider that in Canada 45% of employees leave their employment because of a lack of work. Voluntary separation is very rare in the fishing industry; it stands at only 4% while the national average is 20%. Finally, the “other reasons” category which includes sickness, death, maternity, etc. is the reason for termination of employment for 13% of workers in the fishing industry and for 35% in Canada as a whole. The importance of the lack of work, caused in part by seasonality, provides another explanation for the high turnover rate. (Source: HRDC)

Workers’ Origins
Workers in the fishing and incidental services industry generally come from that industry (see Figure 6). That figure is directly linked to high turnover and to the reason for termination of employment. The fact that 80% of jobs are handled by people in the same industry shows that it is the same people who had previously lost their employment for lack of work and who are being hired once more when the fishing season opens. That shows that movement within the industry is more prevalent than movement between  industries. There will therefore be little competition for hiring between workers in the fishing industry and workers in other industries. (Source: HRDC)

Occupational Profile
Figure 7 indicates the professions most prevalent in the fishing and incidental services sector. It shows such professions as Fishing Vessel Masters and Skippers (accounting for 78% of the workers in the industry); there are also the Aquaculture and Marine Harvest Labourers, Manufacturing Machine Operators and finally the other fishing, hunting and trapping professionals. In absolute terms, the professions with the highest representation are Fishing Vessel Masters and Skippers with 20,100 employees. (Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census)

Gender
Women are not highly represented in the main professions in the fishing and incidental services industry. Only 11% of workers are women compared to 46% for the national average. Most women are found among Manufacturing Machine Operators where they represent over 24% of the workers. (Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census)

Age
According to Figure 9, the average age in the fishing and incidental services sector is very close to the average of Canadian workers. The most prevalent age groups in the labour market are the 30-34, 35-39 and the 40-44 year olds. These three age groups account for 40% of the workers. (Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census)

Education Level
Compared to the national average, workers in the fishing and incidental services industry have very little schooling. Almost 55% of employees in the industry have no degree, diploma or certificate while the Canadian average is 23.6%. The other side of Figure 10 shows that very few employees in the sector have a university degree (3.5%). The national average for university degrees is almost six times higher (20.9%). (Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 Census)

Training Patterns

Courses in responsible fishing practices consistent with the federal code of conduct are offered by the federal government in cooperation with the provinces and the unions. In New Brunswick, for instance, these courses are offered jointly by New Brunswick’s Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the local fishing industry and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Workers in the aquaculture industry receive their training mostly on the job, but a few educational institutions offer programs for aquaculture technicians and technologists. Many of these institutions also offer a training program for biologists and biological technicians and technologists to prepare them to work in the traditional fisheries industry.

The Canadian Aquaculture Institute was founded jointly by the University of Prince Edward Island and Prince Edward Island’s Holland College. Located in the faculty of veterinary medicine (Atlantic Veterinary College), the institution provides ongoing global training in aquaculture medicine, fish health and halieutics management. It offers a variety of courses, from a program leading to a degree to short programs a few days in length made up of upgrading and introductory courses and workshops.

In Newfoundland, the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (C-ASD) of Memorial University offers a similar program of courses and workshops.

On the West Coast, Malaspina University College offers a comparable training program on fishing, aquaculture management and fish biology.

In Ontario, the University of Guelph offers an interdisciplinary program leading to an MA in aquaculture science and veterinary medicine and biology programs for industry workers and scientists.

Updated Training Indicators

Data on professional training are based on Statistics Canada’s 1997 Adult Education and Training Survey (AETS). Because of the small sample, there are no available data on the fishing sector. We brought together data on breeding, hunting and fishing. We will therefore have to use NAICS 114 (Hunting/Fishing/Breeding).  

Incidence of Training
In 1997, 19% of employees in the sector (Hunting/Fishing/Breeding) received training of one form or another. This is very low compared to the national average which is 39%. Furthermore, only 19% of those employees indicated a desire for more training; this is 6 percentage points below the national average. (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

Relevance of the Training in Terms of Work
As if the lack of training for the employees in this sector was not enough, only 28% of the training received is considered adequate, compared to 56% for Canadian workers as a whole. (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

Barriers to Training
The data in Figure 11 indicate that overall the Hunting/Fishing/Breeding sector does not have any excessive barriers to training compared to workers in general in the Canadian economy. The low training rate can therefore not be associated with the barriers to training presented here. (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

HR Management Practices

Since a high percentage of the workforce in this industry is made up of independent workers, the required capital and commercial licence were more important than recognized training. Cuts and professionalization in the industry are changing things. Newfoundland is the first province to give professional training leading to certification for fishermen, and the other provinces, beginning with Quebec, will undoubtedly do the same. This will upgrade professional standards throughout the industry.

In this industry, income is generally below the overall professional average. The income of fishermen and the other commercial fleet employees is set through collective agreements. The income of independent fishermen and of skippers of fishing vessels depends on the price for catches as determined during collective bargaining between processing or seafood distribution companies and the unions representing the fishermen. As for inland fishing, the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation sets the price of most of the fish sold.

Over the last few years the industry has suffered considerable cutbacks usually brought about by government programs such as The Atlantic Groundfish Strategy (TAGS) and the program which succeeded it on the East Coast and a similar program on the West Coast in the spring of 1998. Those programs sought the buy-back of licenses, the payment of retirement pensions, incentives to leave the industry and financial assistance for the economic development of the fishing villages most affected by the end of fishing on the East Coast. These cutbacks will no doubt go on for many more years.

Key HR Issues

Organizational Design
Given the cutbacks, the main challenge facing traditional fishing is improved professional training for those who continue to work in the area. To that end, there should perhaps first be intensive training providing basic knowledge because the level of schooling is relatively low in the traditional fishing sector. The Province of Newfoundland is already offering a program leading to certification for professional fishermen and the other provinces will undoubtedly do the same.

There will be increasing demand for biologists and qualified technicians or technologists, for aquaculture owners or operators with technical knowledge and for qualified consultants in the aquaculture industry.

Rewards and Retention
According to government and industry officials, the image of the fishing industry and the generally low income levels in the sector have sometimes made it difficult to recruit qualified technicians. Since cutbacks are an unavoidable reality in the industry, recruiting conditions are less important that the adoption of fair employee cutback programs. In the traditional fishing sector, qualified employees will perhaps have to share a more limited number of positions and new arrivals will probably be scarce in all areas except biology research and aquaculture operations.  

The industry is composed mainly of men although the number of women has increased in some sectors. Given the probability of further cutbacks, the situation will undoubtedly not change in the near future. Support and consulting services in career counselling will generally direct workers towards other sectors rather than fishing.

Training and Development
The low level of basic schooling in certain sectors of the industry limits the capacity of the workers who remain to upgrade themselves; it also limits the capacity to design adjustment programs to direct people towards other activity sectors. With the adoption of new fishing techniques and practices and a responsible code of conduct, there will also have to be an increase in the minimum skills level.

A number of programs have already been implemented by governments and unions to provide basic knowledge. That training has, however, served to provide workers in the fishing industry with opportunities of employment in other sectors rather than fishing. The new reorganized fishing industry can only succeed if we manage to persuade a significant number of fishermen and fishing vessel owners to leave the industry on their own. The two levels of government along with organizations like the Canadian Council of Fish Harvesters have begun to show an interest in the professionalization and training required to support a smaller and more specialized industry.

Key Players

Associations
FFMC – Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation

FOC – Fisheries and Oceans Canada 

ACOA – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency 

Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters
www.ccpfh-ccpp.org 

Bibliography/Data Source

Aquaculture Association of Canada

Austin, Dale, "Canada's Commercial Fishery: A Statistical Profile", Environmental Perspectives, Statistics Canada 11-582-XPE, No. 3, 1996.

British Columbia Job Protection Commission, Fishing for Answers, Coastal Communities and the BC Salmon Fishery, Victoria, Government of British Columbia, 1996.

British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association

Budiansky, Stephen, "Fish farming is still on the hook ", U.S. News & World Report, Vol. 121, August 5, 1996, pages 50 and 51.

Canada, Task Force on Incomes and Adjustment in the Atlantic Fishery, Charting a New Course: Towards the fishery of the future, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, 1993.

Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters, Website: http://www.ccpfh-ccpp.org/ 

Human Resources Development Canada, Job Futures, Volume 1: "Occupational Outlooks"; Volume 2: "Career Outlooks for Graduates", 1996.

Government of British Columbia, The BC Fisheries Strategy, working document published in May 1997.

Marsh, James Barney, "North Pacific Fisheries Environment: International Issues", Contemporary Economic Policy, Vol. 15, April 1997.

McGinn, Anne Platt, "Blue Revolution: the Promises and Pitfalls of Fish Farming", World Watch, Vol. 11, March-April 1998, pages 10 to 19.

Senate of Canada, Senate Committee on Fisheries, Canada's Pacific Fishery, Ottawa, 1997.

Senate of Canada, Senate Committee on Fisheries, Overview of the Fishing Industry, Ottawa, 1997.

Statistical Services of Fisheries and Oceans

Statistics Canada, Annual Estimates of Employment, Earnings and Hours, Catalogue No. 72F002XIE, 1984-1996.

Statistics Canada, CANSIM, 2000.

Statistics Canada, Census data, 1996.

Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, 1999.

Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Register, 1997.