Crab season extended as ice relief package comes together

Extraordinarily heavy ice offNewfoundland's northeast coast has prompted federal fisheries officials to extendthe normally lucrative crab fishery, amid indications that a relief package will soon be announced.

Scores of fishermen along hundreds of kilometres of coastline have had disastrous starts to the crab fishery, as they have been unable to harvest much of anything so far this year.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has extended the crab season by two weeks. An area adjacent to the Northern Peninsula will now close June 24, while an area further south will close June 29.

As well, DFO has extended the crab fishery in Placentia Bay, in southern Newfoundland, by an additional two weeks.

Meanwhile, there are signs that calls for a federal relief program are being heeded.

John Furlong, host of CBC Radio's Fisheries Broadcast, received word from federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn's office shortly before Tuesday evening's program that a compensation package will soon be announced.

"The minister wanted to let you know that a compensation package will be provided to fish harvesters that have been severely affected by the extreme situation of ice conditions," Furlong told his listeners.

Hearn has been under pressure for weeks to respond to what fishermen have described as catastrophic ice conditions offshore.

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers union made its case for a package on May 6, but since then Hearn has only said that officials have been monitoring the ice situation and preparing a response.

Similar packages have been announced at least twice in the past, in 1974 and in 1990, the union said.

Provincial Fisheries Minister Tom Rideout said the evidence has been clear for weeks that this year's fishery has been wrecked by environmental factors beyond fishermen's control.

"[Hearn] has been saying now for two weeks that they are ready to move They have a plan ready to announce," Rideout told the legislature Monday.

"Well, for the honour of God, for the honour of everybody who is depending on some assistance, for the honour of God, please announce it. What are you holding it for?"