Northern fishers seek aid as COVID-19 shuts down market
The fishing industry across northern Saskatchewan is facing an uncertain year because of COVID-19. With restaurants closed there are no orders of their product coming in, hundreds of livelihoods are impacted, and the sector is seeking financial help from the federal government.
The Prince Albert Grand Council says a $62.5 million aid package announced by Ottawa last month for the country’s fish and seafood processors should have included inland fisheries in this province who contribute millions of dollars to the economy.
“There’s absolutely no market for us and we have no means to make a living this summer,” John Beatty, vice-president of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation – who is based at Deschambault Lake – told paNOW.
Beatty said there were 70 fishers just in his region and as many as 300 people across the whole North who are seasonally self-employed are in danger of losing their income. He said most employment insurance benefits expire in May each year, and he’s seeking an extension of 12 months to that as the current Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is not expected to run for much longer.