A Parliamentary Petition launched by The United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union (UFAWU) is calling on the federal Liberals to revoke all foreign owned commercial fishing licenses to ensure Canadian fishers have opportunities to sustain their livelihoods.

According to a release from the Union, “Canada currently does not have any limitation on foreign ownership of commercial fishing licenses and quotas in the Pacific Region.” Making it difficult for smaller Canadian vessels to obtain a license.

In 2019, a House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans recommended that future sales of fishing quota and licenses to non-Canadian should be banned, if there is no benefit to communities or the Canadian fishing industry. Something the UFAWU wholeheartedly supports.

“In many cases and we are hearing more and more frequently, some second, third and fourth generation harvesters who cannot make a viable living anymore in this industry, when they leave, it's often corporations and foreign investors that purchase those licenses or quotas,” said Emily Orr, the UFAWU’s Business Agent.

“We'd like to see the recommendations from the 2019 House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans implemented immediately.”

Hear the full interview below.