Hearn tears into Williams over fish science plans

The federal minister of fisheries thinks little of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams'sideafora provincial fisheries research program.

During the recent provincial election campaign, Williams raised a long-standing interest he has had in the provinceestablishing its own fisheries research vessel and facilities.

The federal government runs a fisheries science program, though critics have long argued that cutbacksover many years have greatly diminished the quality of that science.

Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn said it would be costly and unproductive for Newfoundland and Labrador to launch a service that would duplicate efforts of Canada and other fishing nations.

"Why should Norway, why should Iceland, why should the United States be out doing exactly the same thing as we're doing in the same areas?"

"So it's crazy. It's a matter of coming together [with] proper co-ordination, setting your targets, seeing where your weaknesses are and then collaboratively going after it."

Hearn estimated that it would cost Newfoundland and Labrador about $100 million to build and operate a proper fisheries research vessel.

Williams— who has had frosty relations with the federal Conservatives for a year— has criticized Hearn for setting what Williams called very low commercial cod quotas.

In an interview with CBC News, Hearn fired back at what he called campaign-trail rhetoric.

"The premier knows as much about the fishery in Newfoundland as I know about nuclear physics. Let's get that on the table, to start," said Hearn, who said while some inshore stocks appear to be growing, the overall health of cod off Newfoundland's costs remain "in a state of concern."

Hearn acknowledged, though, criticism about the amount of fisheries science that Ottawa currently has.

"Can you have enough science? Enough scientists? The answer is no," he said.