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The State Of Nova Scotia's Coastal Communities Nova Scotia is home to over 360 coastal communities. The vast majority of these, about 340, have populations of less than 1000 people. In total about 17% of the province's population live in these small communities. Most of these communities are as old, and in some cases even older, than Nova Scotia itself. For over 200 years they have formed the backbone of the provincial economy. Most were founded because of their close proximity to natural resources like fish, forests and minerals. The wealth derived from the toil of the people in these communities has created the bulk of Nova Scotia's exports and has contributed billions and billions of dollars to the provincial economy. Indeed over 26% of Nova Scotia's exports in 1995 were fish and fish preparations. The largest export sector, by far, of provincial trade. The total value of all resource exports, which are primarily rooted in small communities, was valued at over $1.35 billion in 1995, or about 46% of all exports from the province. This confirms that small communities, which are home to less than 20% of the province's population, are responsible for a large portion of provincial wealth. Despite their great economic contribution, survival has never been easy for coastal communities. Their prosperity, and that of Nova Scotia as a whole, has risen and fallen based upon the state of local resources, such as fish. Indeed during the past five years, since the collapse of groundfish stocks, coastal communities have been under considerable strain. The media has been full of bad news stories about the decline of the fishery. And coastal communities have struggled to find ways to replace the wealth once created by the groundfish fishery. This month Coastal Communities News examines the current state of coastal communities and their struggle to survive and develop new opportunities. Has any progress been made? Are coastal communities still in decline? Is the atmosphere positive or negative? Are the threats of the past still present? Understanding The State Of Coastal Communities Determined To Remain Optimistic. What is the condition of Nova Scotia's coastal communities? That is one of the questions that members of the Coastal Communities Network (CCN) attempted to answer when they met recently in Tatamagouche for their annual meeting. The October 1st gathering brought together community representatives from every region of the province for a day long discussion and examination of the state of coastal communities. After this day of discussion and reflection it was clear that residents of coastal communities are starting to feel the strain of continuing troubles and conflicts in the fishery, declining government services and local economies that are struggling to find a way to adjust to new realities. It was also clear that no one is prepared to give up the struggle to ensure survival and development. And although progress is slow, at best, it is the small positive steps forward that keep community leaders and activists determined to build a better future. Remaining positive and keeping an eye to the future was on the mind of all of the CCN members attending the annual meeting. Almost everyone could point to some positive events that have helped their communities. Such as Don Zwicker of Riverport, who has witnessed a local group of three business people buy and resurrect a local fish plant. Or Elizabeth Barnard of Ecum Secum who reports that as of January almost 200 new jobs will be created when a gypsum mine opens. Joe Walsh of Canso has witnessed the local fish plant expand to the point where it is now the largest processor of herring in the province. And Caroline Norwood, of Long Island in Digby County, reported that fishermen in her area are becoming better organized and are, for the first time, working together for a common cause. But it was also evident, from the discussions, that many are worried and feel that coastal communities are under real pressure from both internal and external forces. It was, after all, just a few short months ago that media reports said that government studies had concluded that some coastal communities were hopeless and should be abandoned. Where Are The Jobs? "Where are the jobs?" That is the question being asked by many in coastal communities, including Elizabeth Barnard. She wonders what young people growing up in coastal communities have to look forward to. "The youth are leaving to find jobs in the cities but there aren't any jobs there either," she says. Eileen MacNeil of North Sydney is witnessing the same thing. "People's motivation is declining. They are feeling very negative", she says. She points out that there are few jobs for young people, even those with an education. "How can a 40 or 50 year old expect to find work in that environment?", she asks. Karen Malcolm, of Isle Madame, reports that her community is facing an unemployment rate of 50%. "There is no fishery resource left here. The last big employer, Richmond Fisheries, has been plowed to the ground. That represents 350 jobs that will not be returning to the community." Observations such as these and the anecdotal evidence presented by others, imply that the job market is shrinking and opportunities for new jobs are not being created. But do these observations reflect reality? Yes, according to the most recent employment reports. The lack of employment and a job market that doesn't appear to be growing is backed up by Statistics Canada's latest labour force report. The August report shows the unemployment rate for Nova Scotia, as a whole, increased during the past year from 11.6% in August of 1995 to 12.4% in August of 1996. Only central Nova Scotia (Halifax, Hants, Kings and Annapolis Counties) showed a real drop in unemployment. All of the other regions, which are home to most of Nova Scotia's coastal communities, show increasing unemployment rates. The labour force declined by almost 6000 persons on Cape Breton Island from 1995 to 1996. Another 2000 jobs were lost in Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Queens and Lunenburg Counties during the same period. These statistics seem to confirm the statements of CCN members who say that jobs are disappearing. Indeed between 1991 and 1995, four thousand jobs were lost in the fishing, forestry and mining industries in Nova Scotia. These are jobs that were primarily located in coastal and rural communities. An examination of unemployment rates, over the past five years, also demonstrates the continuing trend to higher and higher unemployment in Nova Scotia's rural regions. For example, from 1991 to 1995 the unemployment rate in the region encompassing Digby, Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth Counties climbed from 10.7% to 12.3%. This fact is even more troublesome when you consider that during the same period the labour force in this region declined from 59,000 persons to just 56,000 and the number of people employed shrunk from 53,000 to just 49,000. Coastal Communities Network members do not have sophisticated statistical researchers to tell them what is happening with their local labour force but it is clear that their real life observations are very accurate according to Statistics Canada. Moving On Down The Road The lack of jobs and opportunities in coastal communities is further reflected in the shrinking population of many communities and regions. The declining population of Isle Madame, due to out migration, is one of the biggest concerns for Karen Malcolm. "Our community is still in decline. People are moving away to find work. Especially the youth." Malcolm's husband is one of those who has had to leave to find work. He is now working in the North West Territories. Once again Statistics Canada supports the view of CCN members that their local populations are under real pressure. Populations have declined in just about every region of Nova Scotia during the period of 1991 to 1995. The only areas showing population growth are those within an hours drive of metropolitan Halifax. While the population of Nova Scotia has increased by 2.2% during the past five years, none of that growth has been in areas dominated by coastal communities. Areas such as Cape Breton, Digby, Guysborough, Inverness, Pictou, Queens, Richmond, and Shelburne have all had dropping populations. Taking into account the type of economic base these communities have, primary and resource based, it is clear that out migration is a threat still present. The Unemployment Rate Is Increasing In Coastal Communities. While The Population Of Nova Scotia Has Increased, Coastal Communities Are Shrinking In Size. Greg Brown of the Halifax Regional Development Agency says, "The migration to the city is continuing." Don Zwicker, of Riverport in Lunenburg County, sees his community in a state of limbo. "People are worried. They are wondering if they will be able to hang on and realize a living from the fishery." Zwicker goes on to say that it appears to most people in his area that the government is trying to squeeze the little guy out. Could it be that Zwicker and his fellow residents are right? When one examines the trend to declining populations in coastal communities it would appear that government has taken the position that they want to depopulate communities and relocate citizens to major urban areas. Some CCN members believe there is more than enough evidence to confirm these suspicions. Others believe that it is not a deliberate strategy, rather it is just a complete lack of any government policy, in relation to coastal communities, that is contributing to the mistrust and uncertainty. Elizabeth Barnard agrees with Zwicker and confirms that residents in her Eastern Shore community don't see much of a future. The Ups And Downs Of The Fishery The news surrounding Nova Scotia's fishery during the past five years has not been good. With the collapse of groundfish stocks , thousands of fishermen, plant workers and others were thrown out of work. This massive loss of jobs and incomes meant great hardship for many communities, especially those who had relied almost entirely on groundfish. The Government of Canada intervened to provide some relief to those residents with the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy (TAGS), which provides income support until fishermen and plant workers can find alternative employment. Other government programs provided funds for community development and small business development. Over the past five years those programs have helped to provide some relief and security but they have not been able to stop the decline of coastal communities. In spite of the decline and even though the groundfish fishery is still virtually shut down there are a few good news stories starting to emerge from some coastal communities. Norma Richardson, of the Eastern Shore Fishermen's Protective Association, says that the groundfishery is presently closed but due to the importation of foreign fish the fish plants in her area of the province are working to capacity. The sea urchin fishery is also doing well. Joe Walsh, of Canso, also reports some positive activities in the fishery. He explains, "The Tuna fishery is holding its own, and the local fish plant had a reasonably good summer." In Pictou County, Kirk Munro, of the Maritime Fishermen's Union, Local 4, is witnessing conflicting signals from the fishery. While he sees catches going down in the local lobster fishery, the price paid for that lobster is increasing. Munro says, "Prices have been going up enough to save our bacon. We need the price to survive." Charlene Harris of Shelburne is also looking at the positive aspects of the fishery in her region. She says, "We're lucky to have a lot of people still fishing." Lillian Benham, of Lockeport, says the best she can say about the fishery in her area is that it is variable. She explains that the local Clearwater plant is now processing crab and is employing more people but overall the fishery is still troubled. The term 'variable' may be the best way to describe the overall state of Nova Scotia's fishery. Statistics Canada confirms that there is both positive and negative news in relation to the fishery. The value of fish exports have continued to climb during the past five years, from $695 million in 1991 to $789 million in 1995. These increases have occurred despite lower catches. For example, groundfish landings fell from a high of 245,000 tonnes in 1991 to just 58,000 tonnes in 1995. Almost every category of fish landings have declined during the past five years. In fact total landings declined from 462 tonnes in 1991 to just 246 tonnes in 1995. There are however some fishery sectors where landings have grown. Clam, shrimp and crab landings have doubled in the past five years. Even though fish landings, in general, have declined by about 46% during the past five years the value of those landings has only declined by about 7%. Employment in the fishery has also been declining during the past five years but Statistics Canada figures show that the job losses have slowed during the past year. When the final figures come in for 1996 they could show a small increase in fishery related jobs for the first time in the 1990's. It is no secret that the closure of the groundfish fishery and the ensuing tough management decisions made by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has meant turmoil and conflict for fishermen and government. That turmoil and conflict has brought divisions among fishermen and fishermen's organizations to the surface and has resulted in some infighting. Especially among those groups who have different views of the future. Some support privatization of fishery resources and the introduction of Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs). Others want fish resources to be commonly held and managed by fishermen and communities. Over the past two years these issues and others, such as license fee increases, have resulted in protests and civil disobedience campaigns by fishermen. According to Graeme Gawn, of the Maritime Fishermen's Union, this has meant fishermen have had to get organized. Gawn says, "One year ago only about 10% of fishermen in my region were active. I believe that 100% of fishermen are in organizations now." Gawn believes that getting fishermen involved in the decision making process is crucial. "In my view we are not going back to the way the fishery was with DFO managing it." Gawn explains that he believes government has no intention of managing fisheries in the future. He personally wants to see communities take over management responsibilities but knows there are others who believe that ITQs are the way of the future. Caroline Norwood, of Digby County, agrees with Gawn that fishermen are better organized but she cautions that there is still no groundfish. "Lobster has become the main source of income. That is great as long as the lobster stocks hold up," she explains. Declining Services Schools, hospitals, post offices and other public services have traditionally served as the heart of small communities. Those institutions are being scaled back or eliminated from many communities and that is causing great distress for those who live in those communities. In fact most of the participants at the CCN annual meeting pointed to the continuing loss of public services and institutions as a major threat to the future survival and sustainability of coastal communities. Rick Williams, a community development consultant and a presenter at the annual meeting, says that the real crisis facing coastal communities is the consolidation of provincial services. Consolidation of schools is one hot topic. With the recent amalgamation of school boards throughout the province have come warnings of school closures. In some school districts there are plans to close up to one-third of all existing schools. In Canso there is a plan to close the local high school and bus students 50 kilometres to a new school. Joe Walsh says people in the town are up in arms. Over 1000 people turned out to a recent community meeting to protest the school closure plan. There Are Conflicting Signals Coming From The Fishery. While Landings And Jobs Are Down The Value Of Fish Products Has Never Been Higher. On the South Shore there is a discussion underway about closing the Lockeport high school. This school is recognized throughout North America as a leader in promoting student attendance and eliminating drop outs. Still, despite its track record and outstanding reputation. There is a good chance the school will be closed. Lillian Benham lives in Lockeport and she sees regionalization as one of the the biggest concerns facing her community. "We are seeing school board bureaucracies grow bigger and bigger. Meanwhile budget cuts mean some schools are going without principals and others are being closed." She goes on to explain that government is reducing its presence in other important areas as well. For example, the Bluenose ferry that travels from Yarmouth to Bar Harbour, Maine is scheduled to be shut down or sold to the private sector. That ferry is one of the region's key transportation and economic links. Eileen MacNeil of Cape Breton says government is sending a discouraging message to residents of coastal communities as they withdraw more and more services. She points to the governments recent decision to scale back the TAGS program. TAGS was supposed to help fishery dependent workers make the transition to jobs outside the fishery. It did that by providing training and job search assistance along with a regular income. In July the federal government announced that the training and job finding components would be dropped. " Government keeps changing the rules. Now TAGS is income support only. That doesn't provide any motivation. It won't lead to any real jobs," says MacNeil. Russel Harding of the Maritime Conference Social Ministries Committee of the United Church of Canada has witnessed the decline in government services and is increasingly seeing communities take matters into their own hands to build things such as medical clinics. He recently visited a community based project in New Germany on the South Shore. There residents, frustrated with government's refusal to provide local medical services, raised funds to build their own clinic. Charlene Harris, of Shelburne, sees her community losing more and more services. Hospitals, schools, government offices and services are being regionalized into larger centres. "The community is being asked to do more with less," she says. But she is not totally discouraged. The withdrawal of public institutions has had one positive impact in her opinion. "There is a growing change in people's attitudes. They are starting to realize that they will have to do more for themselves. There is a growing attitude that we can solve our own problems if given a chance." While a change in attitude is slowly emerging, Karen Malcolm of Isle Madame cautions that for most residents of her community individual concerns are still paramount to community concerns. "People are not asking will the community survive , they are asking will I be able to survive?" Isle Madame is one area where there has been a real effort put into community economic development. The community has developed a strategic plan, has established new businesses, such as TELILE a video production and local television service, and has worked hard to promote economic development in the area. Still, Malcolm doesn't believe they have been able to make a dent in the real job creation needs of the area. "Yes, we have made progress but we have a long way to go," she says. For a while, because their community was heavily dependent on the fishery, government provided money and support to help in the rebuilding effort. For example, Human Resources Development provided Industrial Adjustment Services Funding, and other short term funding supported the work of local committees. Now everything has changed explains Malcolm. Governments, At All Levels, Are Running Away From Coastal Communities. "There is no more money. It is almost as if the government believes that the crisis is over. There is no interest from government in providing core funding for local development groups and organizations," says Malcolm. Another impact that may have damaging effects on coastal communities is the recently announced changes to Canada's unemployment insurance system, now called employment insurance. The changes will mean less support for seasonal workers, fishermen, frequent users and casual part time workers. These types of jobs are frequently found in coastal communities. Rick Williams says that no one has yet realized just how serious these changes are going to be for coastal communities. He believes that it will take a year before people start to see the real impact. It appears to many CCN members that government is quickly abandoning its mandate to help the disadvantaged. "Giving those people who need a break some help has traditionally been the image people have of Canada's governments," says Rick Williams. He goes on to say, "It is now becoming apparent that some important government programs, such as Employment Insurance and job training, are being restructured to support 'winners' and to offer less help to more disadvantaged clients." The decline in government services in Nova Scotia is confirmed by Statistics Canada. From 1991 to 1995 the number of public sector jobs declined from a high of 106,446 in 1991 to just 95,593 in 1995 (these figures include all federal, provincial and municipal employees). Provincial government employment dropped by almost 7000 persons during this period. Joe Walsh, of Canso, sums up the attitude of most residents of coastal communities when he says, "It tears the heart out of a community when you lose your school and hospital." For these residents it remains to be seen just how much more heart wrenching news of cut backs and loss of services they can sustain. Working To Make Communities Better Many communities throughout the province are doing their best to remain positive and do what they can to encourage community economic development in spite of lacking government support. There are a lot of positive stories of communities that are doing small, but effective things to help their communities grow and prosper. In Cape Breton Eileen MacNeil sees new partnerships being formed between the local university and fishermen who are looking for new employment opportunities. On the Eastern Shore residents recently worked to organize a major music festival that attracted over 6000 people. In Canso the development agency is working on a plan to start a new ferry service between Canso and Isle Madame. The project would be a major boom for tourism in the area. In Shelburne there is evidence of some small scale business growth to service the tourism industry. Charlene Harris says that new charter boat businesses have opened. There has also been some growth in local tourist accommodation businesses. Indeed tourism is one area that a lot of small communities are focusing on for growth opportunities. Statistics show that tourism has grown steadily in Nova Scotia during the past five years. From 1991 to 1995 tourism receipts rose from $765 million to $925 million. In some areas that growth has resulted in increasing competition and potentially disastrous results. Caroline Norwood reports that the popular whale watching business on the islands off Digby Neck have expanded from just two operators to ten. "This year the hump-back whales didn't show up. That means there is too little business for everyone and the whole industry suffers." She also points out that there could come a time when there are too many boats chasing the whales which will scare the whales away permanently. Coastal Communities Are Seeing Their Government Services Disappear. Arthur Bull sees positive community development activities underway on Digby Neck. He points to ecotourism businesses that are being set up and a small business expo recently hosted by the community as signs that people are looking for alternatives. Bull is also encouraged by the efforts of local fishermen to set up a community based co-management project. Still he says it is hard to say if conditions are improving or if the community is still in decline. "There are some real strong positives and negatives happening," he says. Greg Brown of the Halifax Regional Development Agency is witnessing some positive events in the small coastal communities in Halifax County as well. "Some communities are doing okay, but overall I think you would have to say that coastal communities are still in decline," he says. Brown explains that those communities who have realized that there is no one but themselves to count on are moving ahead the fastest. "The pots of government money are drying up. They have to find a way to do it themselves," says Brown. Volunteer Burnout As government funding declines volunteers are being called upon to do more and more. But how much can volunteers do? The downloading of responsibilities from government to communities has not been accompanied by funding to do the job. The downloading is occurring in areas ranging from harbour authorities to community development. This means that volunteers are facing new and increasing demands on their time and resources. Eileen MacNeil says that volunteer burnout is becoming a real issue. "There is a need for new blood but it is hard to recruit volunteers," she says. Lillian Benham goes even further and says volunteers are not only getting burned out they are becoming increasingly frustrated because there is no sense of accomplishment. "Government is downloading but they are not providing clear policy or the resources to assist volunteers, " she says. Greg Brown confirms that he is seeing the same thing in his area. When it comes to government and their efforts in community economic development Brown says, "People are throwing up their hands and saying 'we've seen it all before." Brown also acknowledges that they will have to find a way to nurture volunteers. "We don't manage and develop volunteers properly. We will have to do a better job." All over the province the concern over volunteer burnout is growing. Karen Malcolm says, "Our leaders are quickly burning out." It seems that the small pool of volunteers on which to draw, the increasing workload being forced upon existing volunteers, the lack of a sense of accomplishment and the lack of government support and resources is discouraging many committed community volunteers. What About The Future? It is generally agreed that the economies of coastal communities are worse off today than they were a few years ago. It is also accepted that regionalization of services, downloading on volunteers, changing government rules and priorities, and an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty is putting a real strain on the residents of coastal communities. The good news is that a lot of communities are developing stronger internal mechanisms and capabilities to deal with and plan for change. "In terms of community development they are moving ahead," says Eileen MacNeil. It could be that communities are realizing that they have no choice. It appears that there is no government policy on the development and future of coastal communities. This policy void says to many that government is prepared to let communities collapse and die. Rick Williams is warning communities that they had better be prepared because the real crisis for coastal communities still lies ahead. Despite how tough the past five years have been, Williams believes the next five years will be even tougher. "The crisis of survival is ahead of us," he says. Williams sees the continuing withdrawal of government and the regionalization of services as the growing threat to coastal communities. He believes however that there is still time for communities to speak out and change government's direction. "There is still room for challenge," he says. The Economies Of Coastal Communities Are Still Getting Worse. Coastal communities have struggled to find ways to grow and develop diverse economies that reduce their reliance on single resources. And those efforts are continuing. In Guysborough County, for example, a natural gas pipeline will bring new jobs. Residents of Guysborough are also starting to grow and harvest ginseng as an alternative economic opportunity. There are examples of these initiatives all over the province but the fact remains that it will be the resources like the fishery, the forestry and tourism that will be the main economic generators in coastal communities for the next century. Rick Williams is one of those who believes that coastal and rural communities hold the keys to Nova Scotia's economy. "The fishery, forestry and tourism will all be economic drivers in the 21st century," says Williams. There are many challenges ahead for communities, as this first annual report on the state of Nova Scotia's coastal communities has helped to demonstrate. The economic indicators are discouraging. Unemployment is increasing, populations are declining, and government services are declining. It appears that residents are determined to remain optimistic but it will require more than a positive attitude to help turn these trends around. CCN members are the first to realize this and they summed up their annual meeting by saying that communities need to be empowered and people and organizations have to start working together to ensure a sustainable future. back to top How One Development Agency Is Trying To Get The Entire Community Involved. When regional development agencies were established in Nova Scotia in 1995, there were a lot of critics who felt that small communities and localized concerns would be lost inside a large regional organization. Those concerns are still being expressed by some but in Halifax County they have come up with a solution. To make sure smaller communities are the driving force behind the Halifax Regional Development Agency (HRDA) they have established four Local Development Associations (LDAs). Greg Brown, Executive Director of HRDA, explains that when the whole concept of regional development agencies emerged they had to find a way to ensure that, in a region with some 211 different communities and over 100,000 residents, the voice of all communities could be heard. Four LDAs were established to represent the various regions of the county. There is one each for the western, eastern, central and Cole Harbour/Eastern Passage regions. Each of these LDAs is made up of a membership that includes individual citizens and representatives of community organizations. Anyone with the interest is able to join by paying a $5 membership fee. This fee pays for mailouts and meeting costs. The members of each LDA, which generally number between 30 to 60 people, elect a 12 member board of directors. The LDAs mandate is to foster local participation and leadership and implement community economic development projects. Greg Brown explains, "This ensures hands on implementation wherever possible." Each LDA elects two of their members to sit on the larger Halifax Regional Development Agency board. This means that eight members of the board are directly elected from the communities in the region. This approach favours ordinary citizens over municipal politicians as board members. LDAs set the priorities for their region and relay that to HRDA. "They tell us where money should be spent," says Brown. Although LDAs don't have staff, the five person staff of HRDA is dispatched to provide assistance to each LDA whenever they request it. Staff specialize in four areas identified as priorities by the LDAs. Those four areas are enterprise development, tourism, natural resource development and human resource development. Staff assist local residents who may want to start small businesses or implement a community project. Leslie Dunn, a member of the Eastern Passage/Cole Harbour LDA explains that there are a number of community projects underway in her community. The LDA is undertaking a business expenditure survey and is compiling a business directory. They are also working on an eco-tourism project that involves converting abandoned railroad beds to nature trails. Dunn believes that the LDA approach helps to eliminate the 'top down' approach that tends to come with most government programs. "The community has to feel that they are a part of the process," she says. Implementing this approach to engage local leadership and direction for a regional development agency is relatively unique in Nova Scotia and goes a long way towards ensuring that smaller communities are not forgotten inside a larger region.. The Colchester Regional Development Agency is another group that has implemented a similar structure. Greg Brown believes that the development of a strong membership base will be key to making LDAs truly effective and successful. He explains, "LDAs bring people into the process and leave control in their hands rather than a faceless bureaucracy." The long term goal is for the LDAs to be independent. "We want them to be as self-reliant as possible," says Brown. Judy Bellefontaine, an RDA board member from the Eastern region of Halifax County is encouraged by the support being shown in her community for the LDA. She points out that about 80 residents have signed up to be part of the LDA. Today the four LDAs are just starting to get their feet wet in the whole field of community economic development. They are getting organized, electing boards and establishing priorities. Next will come the harder job of taking the strategic plans they have helped to create and actually set about to implement them. Judy Bellefontaine and most of the other LDA members are new to community economic development. She says, "Things have started a bit slow but there is a big learning curve. So far I think it is great." To date Greg Brown is impressed with the membership of the LDAs. "We have a good mix of people who bring a lot of different points of view to the table," he says. That of course is the whole point of this approach; to ensure as many community opinions and interests as possible are reflected in the development process. "We are hoping to double or triple the membership of each LDA in the years ahead." Brown knows that a lot is being asked of the volunteers who make up these LDAs but he is confident that the common sense of purpose and community involvement is there to ensure success. "It is up to them to make this work. We are looking to the LDAs to show leadership. The biggest challenge will be to get them to take action but once they see results it will grow from there." Each LDA is already starting to focus its attention on specific strategies and projects to assist their communities. In Sackville a small business showcase is being planned for October 26. In Cole Harbour / Eastern Passage a tourism resource inventory is underway. On the Eastern Shore the LDA in cooperation with other community groups, recently presented a major community event called Septemberfest. All of the LDAs are cooperating on a county wide system of trails that will support recreation and tourism development. Greg Brown is confident that this LDA approach is the most effective and will make a difference in Halifax County. He says, "There is a lot of hard work ahead but if it is given time it will work."   back to top A Closer Look At The Facts And Figures Behind TAGS When the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy (TAGS) was introduced in May of 1994 it was estimated that about 26,500 people would take part in the program. The five year, $1.9 billion strategy was established to assist East coast and Quebec fishermen and fish plant workers who had lost their jobs as a result of the collapse of groundfish stocks. It is now evident the original estimates, of the number of people who would sign onto the program, were too low. To date about 40,000 workers have qualified throughout the East coast. But what is the reality here in Nova Scotia? How many of those 40,000 are Nova Scotians? Is the program having any success in helping former fishermen and plant workers to find new jobs? This month Coastal Communities News sorts through the facts and figures to paint a picture of what has happened to date in Nova Scotia with TAGS. In Nova Scotia, Human Resources Development Canada received almost 11,000 applications. This represents about 25% of the total applications received throughout the East coast. Of those 11,000 original applications more than 8,000 were eventually approved. There were 45 Nova Scotians who took advantage of the license buy-back program and another 200 were approved for early retirement under the Plant Workers Adjustment and Older Workers Adjustment Programs. To date about 731 TAGS participants have been successfully adjusted out of the fishery. This means that they have found employment outside of the groundfishery. On July 22 changes were announced to TAGS but this has not meant that local employment centres cannot offer assistance to TAGS participants. While the challenge to TAGS clients and their employment counsellors has been heightened by the removal of significant program dollars, many are eligible for services under the Human Resources Investment Fund (HRIF). Staff resources are being maintained to assist TAGS clients who wish to pursue a re-employment plan that will lead to self-sufficiency outside the Atlantic groundfish industry. To date more than 4000 TAGS participants have received counselling intervention, another 1700 have taken part in training courses, and 100 have benefited from the Mobility Program. There are presently 7000 Nova Scotians who remain eligible for TAGS. Those 7000 workers are made up of 3000 fishermen and 4,000 plant workers. A large portion of these 7000 TAGS participants, about 2650, are drawing no TAGS income support benefits. Those 2650 people are either not making a claim for benefits or are earning sufficient income from other sources so they don't require TAGS support. Presently there are about 5650 people who send in cards (regular reports) to HRDC. Of this number 4,000 are reporting fishing or regular earnings. About 1000 of these persons are drawing less than $100 per week in TAGS support. This leaves about 2300 who are drawing more than $100 week. Promoting Communication And Cooperation In The Fishing Industry Communication Secretariat News The Communications Secretariat was established at a workshop of fishermen's organizations in January 1995 to improve communication and cooperation between fishermen and fishermen's organizations and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Formerly known as the Scotia-Fundy Communications Council, it is comprised of representatives of inshore fishermen's organizations who are also representative of the geographic areas of the Scotia-Fundy fisheries sector. The Eastern Fishermen's Federation (EFF) and the Maritime Fishermen's Union (MFU) are the sponsoring organizations for the secretariat. Projects of the Communications Secretariat include a fax-on-demand system containing fisheries documents, a Manual of Recommended Communication Procedures for Advisory Committees, a weekly calendar of upcoming meetings and telephone directories. The Communications Secretariat is committed to improving communication and cooperation in fishery by developing two-way communication between fishermen and DFO through fishermen's organizations. Our goal is to create a more informed fishery while helping to strengthen fishermen's organizations. Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Meets With Board of Directors On August 29, the board of directors of the Communications Secretariat had an opportunity to meet with the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Mr. Bill Rowat. Mr. Rowat congratulated the Communications Secretariat on its good work and stated that he will encourage the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the Honourable Fred Mifflin to meet with industry in Scotia-Fundy. The Board met with Mr. Rowat on his recent trip to the Maritimes and took the opportunity to describe the improvements it is making in promoting better communications and cooperation between fishermen, DFO and fishermen's organizations. DFO committed, not only to supporting the Secretariat for the long term, but also felt the communications Secretariat could be of interest in other regions across the country. Chairperson of the Board, Norma Richardson, believes that Mr. Rowat's support is vital to the growth of the Communications Secretariat and can only help improve communications in the fishery. Mrs. Richardson says, "Mr. Rowat seemed very impressed with the work we are doing here in Scotia-Fundy. The unity of the Board on the issue of communications showed him that fishermen's organizations can and are working together for the good of the fishery." Improvements Being Made to Keep Fishermen More Informed Thanks to the efforts of the Communications Secretariat, fishermen on Nova Scotia's South Shore and in Cape Breton have greater access to fisheries information than ever before. When one of our directors, Jamel Perry, realized that fishermen in his area were "hungry for information", he set up information centres at corner stores and fish plants in Queens and Lunenburg Counties. At these information centres you will find FRCC books and information from DFO, as well as the Communications Secretariat's directories of government contacts and fishermens' organizations. These centres also receive the Communications Secretariat's weekly calendar of upcoming meetings in the fishing industry. Jamel has found the information centres to be a great help in improving communication with fishermen in his area. The information centres are located in the following places on the South Shore: CD Fisheries, Western Shore; South Shore Outfitters, Lunenburg; RBN Fisheries Ltd., Voglers Cove; Mae's QuickWay, Port Mouton; Junior Labour's QuickWay, Port L'Hebert. Another director is setting up information centres on bulletin boards in Cape Breton. The Communications Secretariat is beginning to fax out the calendar, weekly updates on the fax-on-demand system, and other information to contacts in each area who will keep the bulletin boards up-to-date. In a few months George plans to evaluate the use of the bulletin boards by fishermen. The information centers will be set up on bulletin boards at the following wharves in Cape Breton: Alder Point, North Sydney, South Bar and Main-A-Dieu. Catch Us on the Net The Communications Secretariat is now on the Internet. It remains a work in progress, but check it out for information on upcoming meetings, variations orders, stock status reports and weather forecasts. Probably the most important aspect of our website is that it is an electronic archive for all of the advisory committee minutes and agendas that have been on the fax-on-demand system in the past and have now been replaced by minutes from more current meetings. If you do not have a computer, or are not a net user, see if your local librarian or favorite computer whiz-kid can help you out. All public libraries in Nova Scotia are now on the Internet, and so are most schools, while in New Brunswick every school is on-line. The address of our website is: www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisher_orgs. And If You Don't Have A Computer... ...but you have a fax machine, you can still get information on the fisheries. The fax-on-demand system, introduced by the Communications Secretariat in April of 1996, provides fishermen with an opportunity to get documents from advisory committee meetings as well s other information on the fishery through their fax machines. The system is updated every Wednesday and is now carrying some documents in French. Any fisherman in the Maritimes can use the system by calling 1-800-691-6623 or 481-2409 in the Halifax area. If you have never used it before, here are some times to make using the system easier. Request a document of all the documents on the fax-on-demand. With this, you will know what is on the system and you can choose any document you would like. If you are calling outside the Halifax area, make sure to include your area code when entering your fax machine's number. Do not put a "1" before the area code. When the prompt asks you for your extension number, you can put in any number, such as "1" or your phone number. This is to identify the fax machine to which the document will be sent. Finally at the end of the call the prompt will say, "Your fax will be delivered shortly." You can either hang up at this time or wait and order more documents. The fax will be sent to you within a few minutes. If you have any questions about the fax-on-demand, please give us a call. We Would Like To Hear From You. Here's How You Can Reach Us: 18th Floor North 1505 Barrington Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K5 Ph: 902-426-6409 Fax: 902-426-3118 E-Mail: fgcn.fisher.dfosf@sfnet.dfo.ca Internet: www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisher_orgs back to top back to top New Fisheries Act Introduced In The House Of Commons Fred Mifflin, Minister of Fisheries, has introduced the new Fisheries Act, in the House of Commons. It is the same Act that was introduced during the Fall of 1995 but was later withdrawn when Parliament adjourned. When first introduced last Fall the Act attracted a lot of complaints and concern. It was one of the contributing factors to protests and occupations of DFO offices throughout Atlantic Canada. Many saw the introduction of the new Fisheries Act as another step by the government to drive more fishermen out of the fishery. The biggest complaint launched by many fishermen's organizations was the lack of consultations and public hearings on the Act. Fred Mifflin is trying to avoid that criticism this time and is promising extensive public hearings on the new act. In anticipation of those public hearings, this month Coastal Communities News examines the new Act and its most important sections. Mifflin says, "The new Act represents significant change for fishers. My department has held many information sessions within the last year and I am pleased that the Standing Committee will provide additional opportunities for interested parties to present their views through extensive public hearings that they will conduct after second reading of the Bill." Consultations If the uproar that accompanied the original introduction of the new Fisheries Act in 1995 is any indicator it is reasonable to expect that fishermen are going to be raising some serious questions about the Act this time around as well. Last time there was no consultation with fishermen. Instead DFO held information sessions where bureaucrats simply presented the details of the act but did not take feedback from fishermen. This approach created a great deal of resentment on the part of fishermen and their organizations. There is a promise of real consultations this time around but most fishermen are taking a wait and see attitude. They have not had good experiences with DFO consultations in the past and are wary of what will happen this time. A Major Rewrite The stated objective for this new piece of legislation is to modernize and update the legal basis for fisheries, conservation and habitat management in Canada. When he introduced the Act into Parliament Mifflin stated, "The Bill, tabled today, is the first major rewrite of the Act since the last century and will provide the basis for a sustainable fishery for the 21st century. There are many challenges in today's fishery. The proposed Bill will go a long way towards providing the foundation to meet these challenges." Partnering Agreements The new legislation will allow the Minister to sign legal agreements with fishery groups regarding management of a fishery. An agreement could spell out harvest limits, the number of licenses to be issued, fees, sanctions for violations, conservation and management programs and responsibilities of the parties to an agreement. DFO says these agreements will give fishers a formal role in decision making, and greater long term stability. DFO believes that with users taking on more responsibility they will be better able to concentrate on policy and resource conservation issues. It was this section of the Act, introduced in 1995, that drew the greatest number of complaints. Fishermen and their organizations fear that these provisions of the Act will transform fish stocks from a commonly held resource, owned by all Canadians to a privately held resource that will eventually be controlled by large corporations. Many fishermen suspect that this is the route that DFO favours. They see this section of the Act squeezing the small independent fishermen out of the industry. They believe it will lead to the widespread introduction of ITQs and corporate concentration of the fishery. Many fishermen want to see community based co-management of the fishery but they don't want to see ownership of fishery resources handed over to the private sector. Rather they want fish resources to remain a public, widely held resource. It is probable that this section of the Act will once again cause conflict and concern throughout Atlantic Canada. South Shore MP Derek Wells, is the vice-chairman of the Standing Committee that will hold hearings on the Act. He has stated publicly that he expects the partnering proposals to receive the most opposition. In a statement to the press MP Wells stated, "If we see, after discussions with the industry, that the provisions on partnering are not appropriate, we'll have no hesitation recommending they be scraped or amended." Control Of International Fishing The new Act is intended to strengthen control on international fishing of Canadian stocks inside or outside of Canadian waters. For example, if a fine on a foreign ship is not paid, Canadian authorities will be able to arrest a sister ship (owned by the same owner) to satisfy the fine. Canada will also be able to stop unregistered vessels from fishing vulnerable stocks on the high seas contrary to international conservation measures. The existing Coastal Fisheries Protection Act will be repealed and its provisions integrated into this new Act. It is hoped that this new measure will help conserve stocks of interest to Canada and support the implementation of the united Nations Convention on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. Streamlining Fisheries Management A new regulatory tool is being proposed in this Act. Fisheries Management Orders or FMOs will become a new method of regulation and will allow the Minister and designated fisheries managers to make fishing rules directly themselves. FMOs will allow the Minister and his designates to set close times, quotas, size and weight limits for fish. Combined with the expanded use of license conditions, this provision is expected to minimize DFO's reliance on the regulatory process. With the shift to new regulatory processes most regulations made under the Fisheries Act will be revised during the next two years. It is expected this will reduce regulatory volume by as much as 50%. For example, DFO points to the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations which are presently 103 pages long. They will be reduced to 15 pages. The public will continue to be notified of these rules through a public notice and consultation process. New Administrative Sanctions And License Appeal System The new Fisheries Act will establish two independent Tribunals on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, to decide licence appeals and to replace the current criminal court system for dealing with violations of the Fisheries Act, its regulations and licence conditions. The Atlantic and Pacific Tribunals will operate as independent bodies, at arms length from DFO. The Tribunals will be able to remove a licence holders privilege to fish by cancelling, suspending or prohibiting the renewal of a license. The Tribunal will also have the discretion to add other sanctions such as quota reductions, forfeiture of fish, gear or vessel or monetary penalties up to $15,000. The current responsibilities of the Atlantic and Pacific Licence Appeal Boards, which functions in a purely advisory capacity, will be assigned to the new Tribunals. The tribunals will hear licence appeals and make final and binding decisions based upon established Ministerial Licensing Policy. Delegation To The Provinces The new Act proposes that responsibility for management of freshwater habitats be delegated to the provinces. This is seen as a major change from the version of the Bill that was introduced in 1995. Although the Bill will not in itself transfer habitat responsibilities to the provincial government it will allow the federal government to negotiate the delegation of responsibilities with interested provincial governments. The Bill will allow the Minister to delegate responsibility to provinces and to authorize certain types of projects and exercise day to day management powers on provincial lands. The purpose of this section is to eliminate existing overlap between federal and provincial processes. The federal government will monitor provincial compliance with the transfer agreements.  The Battle Over Lobster Fees To pay or not to pay? That is the question facing Southwestern Nova Scotia and it appears that a vast majority of the 940 licence holders do not want to pay a 6000% increase in lobster licence fees for 1996. In September a major campaign was initiated by lobster fishermen in Area 34, which stretches from Baccaro in Shelburne County to Burns Point in Digby County. They are opposed to DFO's plan to collect a fee of $1890 for lobster licences which traditionally only cost $30. Fishermen say that the cost of a licence is increasing by too much, too quickly. In fact fishermens' organizations have been warning for the past year that proposed fee increases were unreasonable and would not be tolerated by fishermen. This fee hike is one of many that have been introduced by DFO in Atlantic Canada, but the massive increase from $30 to $1890 has met with overwhelming resistance in Southwest Nova. Donnie Cunningham, spokesman for the West Nova Fishermen's Coalition, organizers of the protest, says, "We have been warning DFO for months that the fee increase was unfair." The Maritime Fishermen's Union says that fishermen are prepared to pay a fair licence fee but the fee being imposed by DFO is unfair and regressive. Fishermen have met among themselves during the past year and have decided that a realistic fee would be $120. It is that amount that fishermen have agreed, amongst themselves, to pay to DFO for their 1996 licence. The West Nova Fishermen's Coalition organized a series of meetings where fishermen, despite their frustration and outrage with the new fee structure, decided to collect licence renewal forms and cheques for $120 from over 700 of the area's fishermen. The Coalition then delivered those cheques to DFO headquarters in Ottawa on October 18th. DFO was expecting to collect $1.3 million in fees from Area 34 but fishermen are saying that such a massive increase is not warranted. They also say that the fees are unfair for other reasons as well. Among them is the fact that the fees are based on average gross income per licence. That means all fishermen pay the same fee of $1890, no matter how much money they actually earn from the lobster fishery. They also point out that this new system of fees doesn't take a fishermen's net income into account. It is usually half of the gross. They also complain that there is no equity between different fisheries and different regions of the province where fees are much lower. Donnie Cunningham explains. "There are some places where the fee remains unchanged at $30". The protest over these fee hikes has spread throughout the region and has gained considerable support from local business groups and community organizations. Most see the fees as just another tax that will drain millions of dollars out of the local economy and serve to weaken an already bad economic picture. That solidarity has put pressure on politicians and the Minister of Fisheries. Indeed Fred Mifflin, Minister, has announced that he is prepared to revisit the contentious new commercial licensing fees. To so this he has set up an eight member study group to look at new ways of collecting the fees. He is adamant though that he will not revoke the fee schedule for this year. Derek Wells, MP for the South Shore, said in news reports that he hopes that DFO appreciated the growing frustration in many communities. Provincial Fisheries Minister, Jim Barkhouse is also feeling the heat and in a letter to Fred Mifflin stated, fishermen from Southwest Nova Scotia are not satisfied with the response received from DFO regarding a licence fee review. The Maritime Fishermen's Union complains that they have campaigned against this unfairness for the past year and a half and DFO ignored their concerns. "Now they have a hot issue on their hands," says Graeme Gawn. Gawn goes on to say that the MFU recognizes fully that the lobster fishery is a limited entry fishery and that up to now the licence fee has been negligible. "We have always been prepared to pay a fair fee but we also want to see some practical benefits. This past summer we have been appalled by the lack of DFO enforcement against a wide open system of poaching in the waters off Yarmouth. It seems DFO wants to cut services to fishermen at the same time they want to increase our fees by over 6000%," says Gawn. MFU representatives say that fishermen everywhere are furious at the amount of new costs being thrown at fishermen since the failure of the cod fishery. "It's like DFO wants to scapegoat fishermen for their own mismanagement disaster. We have new dockside monitoring costs and observer fees. They are trying to get us to pay for DFO science. They are abandoning care and maintenance of the wharves to fishermen. They are imposing costly new vessel regulation requirements. They have drastically cut back the buy-back program, they are cutting E.I. benefits. The last thing we need is a flat fee that charged the same whether you can afford it or not. It is designed to drive out the less well off fisherman and it is draconian and we applaud the fisheremens' protest for this reason," says Gawn. Fishermen are suggesting that a fairer system of fees be established. They want to see fees that reflect what a lobster fisherman actually earns from the fishery. Most contend that it is unfair that those who just make a basic living from lobstering have to pay the same fees as those who are highly successful. By taking into account the disparity in earnings a fairer system could be devised. Donnie Cunningham highlighted these concerns when he explained recently that the present system penalizes fishermen who earn less than the average income. He also pointed out that fishermen who earn income from more than one licence and split their earnings between those licenses can avoid paying the higher fees. For example, fishermen earning less than $25,000 on a licence are exempt from paying the high fees. Therefore , a fisherman with four licences could earn up to $25,000 on each licence and be exempt. But a fishermen earning $100,000. on a single licence would pay the higher fees. On October 23, DFO returned the 700 cheques for $120 and the accompanying licence application to each fisherman. A letter with the returned cheques said,'As you are aware the fee for a lobster license in your area is $1890...you are encouraged to send a cheque for the full amount within the next week so as to avoid the possibility of the fishing season beginning without you being licensed'. The letter went on to say,'those who don't renew, and who begin fishing without a licence, are subject to legal action that may include a fine and or a licence sanction'. The decision to go fishing or not is still up in the air. The coming weeks will be a time of concern and uncertainty. back to top back to top Coastal Communities News Acknowledgements Coastal Communities News is published bi-monthly by the Coastal Communities Network, a non-profit society registered in the province of Nova Scotia. Coastal Communities News is made possible by the generous efforts of many volunteers, and by financial contributions from Human Resources Development Canada, and by donations and in-kind contributions from the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Culture, as well as from member groups and organizations. We welcome all articles and submissions, from individuals and groups, with content in keeping with the role and nature of this magazine. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Except where additional credit has been given, all articles are prepared by the Editor and Editorial Board. Join the Coastal Communities Network Our Mission Statement The Coastal Communities Network is a volunteer association of organizations whose mission is to provide a forum to encourage dialogue, share information, and create strategies and actions that promote the survival and development of Nova Scotia's coastal and rural communities. "A Large Voice for Small Communities" CCN is made up of organizations rooted in Nova Scotia's coastal and rural communities, and it is the diversity of its membership that gives it strength. Your organization, and your community, can help CCN determine its direction and strengthen its voice still further. Join the Coastal Communities Network today. How to Become Involved in the Coastal Communities Network CCN's strength lies in its membership, which is made up of organizations rooted in Nova Scotia's coastal communities. The range of member organizations is very broad, including churches, fish harvester groups, municipalities, community and regional economic development agencies, unions, universities, and local community groups. CCN welcomes the participation of any organization that represents the interests of a coastal community or issue and is interested in working together with similar groups across the province. Your organization can become involved in a number of ways: — by participating in regular monthly meetings of the CCN membership. These are held in Truro (usually on the first Tuesday of each month), and allow representatives from member organizations to review what is happening in coastal communities across the province, plan actions on issues of common concern, and review progress on CCN-sponsored projects; — by getting on our mailing list to receive regular copies of Coastal Communities News. Send us your name and address by mail or fax, or call us directly; — by contributing written articles to Coastal Communities News, and so letting everyone know what's happening in your community; — by taking part in CCN workshops and information sessions. Special events like this are held on topics of importance to coastal communities (for example, community economic development, co- management in the fishery, etc); — by inquiring about CCN's resource library, which includes information, reports, and studies on topics that affect the future and sustainability of coastal communities. You may contact us at: CCN Coordinator: PO Box 1613 Pictou, N.S. B0K 1H0 Phone:(902)485-4754 Fax:(902)445-7134 e-mail:coastalnet@ns.sympatico.ca CCN Communications Office: Phone: (902) 445-7168 Fax: (902) 445-7134 e-mail:ccnews@ns.sympatico.ca back to top

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