Nain fishermen, plant at standstill over prices

Five scallop crews in Nain have stopped fishing to protest low prices, effectively ending the scallop season for fishermen and 80 plant workers.

Fishermen hoped in vain that the Torngat Fish Producers Co-operative would offer them more money.

Keith Watts, the general manager of the co-op, says the Nain plant is already losing money on scallop production and his board isn't willing to go further in the hole.

But scallop fishermen, including Ralph Tooktashina, say they aren't making any money either.

"They came back and said we're not budging on the price so I guess we're all going home and if no movement next spring in the price, I guess we won't be going at the scallops. But as fishermen we can't survive on what they're giving us," Tooktashina says.

Tooktoshina says two scallop crews have already left Nain and the rest will go home Thursday.

But Watts says the plant is still open and hopes lay-offs won't have to happen.

"If the fisherman change their minds and decide that they are going to go and fish for the price that they were getting all summer, which was acceptable all summer, then we will by all means take their product for the next four weeks," he says.

Watts says the Torngat board is considering a price increase for scallop fishermen next year.