Canadian fishermen threaten protest over Exxon drilling on traditional fishing grounds

Jul 26, 2023 ExxonMobil, News, Oil & Gas

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Kaieteur News – A fish harvesting trade union in Canada has warned that its members may carry out an “at sea protest” over a regulatory body’s decision to allow ExxonMobil to drill an exploration well offshore Newfoundland & Labrador at “peak fishing” time in a zone rich in snow crab – Upstream reported.

The United States super major went through an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process sanctioned by the federal and provincial governments before spudding an exploration probe a few weeks ago on its Gale prospect in Exploration Licence 1167 using the semi-submersible drilling rig Hercules.

However, crab harvesters on Newfoundland’s Avalon peninsula, who were consulted on the exploration campaign, said the drilling operation is in “direct conflict with traditional prime fishing grounds” in what is designated the 3L area.

On the local front, an EIA conducted by Acorn International, the Consultant hired by U.S. oil major has cautioned that not only will marine fish be affected by the degraded water quality within the fifth offshore project site, but fishermen who ply their trade there will also be forced to find new grounds to accommodate the operation. Guyanese fishermen have long argued that Exxon’s offshore drilling is affecting their livelihoods.

In Canada, the Fish Food & Allied Workers (FFAW)-Unifor trade union argued late last week that despite its vocal opposition to the drilling operation throughout the environmental consultation process, the Canada-Newfoundland & Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) — which regulates upstream activities in the province — and ExxonMobil decided to push ahead with the Gale probe.

“Our members feel this brewing spatial conflict is representative of the continuous disregard for the fishing industry,” said Greg Petty, president of the FFAW-Unifor.

“Expansion of the oil and gas industry needs to be considered alongside the fishery, not in priority to it.” He said the FFAW-Unifor made the CNLOPB “aware of our objections and the importance of avoiding a multitude of harvesting activities, including crab fishing, occurring in the same region back when the project was first discussed in 2015”.

In a letter written to CNLOPB chief executive, Scott Tessier, Petty noted that Newfoundland & Labrador’s snow crab fishery is the most profitable in the province, stressing that the 3L fishery on its own has the highest landed value and, in 2022, was worth almost C$500 million (US$380 million).

The trade union, which represents all professional fish harvesters in Newfoundland & Labrador, is now calling for a “dramatic overhaul” off CNLOPB’s planning and procedures.

“Providing little to no advance (notice) of drilling programmes, their precise location and associated safety zones is not considered a mitigative measure and there should be no expectation that fish harvesters will willingly alter fishing plans to prevent space-use conflicts,” said Nelson Bussey, a fish harvester and FFAW-Unifor board member.

“Time and time again, our historical fishing rights have not been factored into the oil and gas growth equation,” he said, adding that the CNLOPB has allowed offshore exploration activities to occur in areas with a “significant recent history of intensive fishing effort.”

In his letter, Petty wrote that “union membership is losing faith in the fisheries consultation processes with the board. FFAW- Unifor feels as though we are asked to provide consultation that is then ignored and results in little to no impact.”

In a follow-up statement, the union boss said: “The continuous disregard for our industry can happen no more,” and warned that “harvesters are extremely frustrated and feel an at-sea protest may be the only way forward in sending the message our membership will not allow the CNLOPB to enable one industry growth at the expense of another.”

In response to these accusations, the CNLOPB said it “appreciates” the importance of the fishery sector and is committed to continuing to work with both the fishing and petroleum industries to identify and reduce risks through rigorous environmental assessment processes and ongoing dialogue.

The board said on 21 July: “Based on the information currently available to us, (we) can confirm that ExxonMobil … has been in compliance with its conditions of authorisation to date.”

The CNLOPB noted that ExxonMobil has been engaged directly with the FFAW and through One Ocean meetings over a number of months.

Upstream was unable to contact ExxonMobil’s spokesperson in Newfoundland & Labrador.

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• Canada, Drilling, Exxon, fishing, Grounds

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