Community responses to international trade policy: A Newfoundland case study

Abstract

Fisheries in Atlantic Canada are going through a period of transition due to environmental, economic, and policy changes that are impacting resource sustainability and community viability. One change is the Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into effect in December 2017, offering increased market access for fishery-reliant provinces such as Newfoundland and Labrador. How CETA is locally perceived, how it plays out on the ground, and the effect it may have on the sustainability of the province's fisheries and communities is not yet known. Through interviews with key informants, including representatives of the fishing industry and government officials, this paper examines stakeholders' perceptions and initial responses to CETA in the Great Northern Peninsula (GNP) region, Newfoundland and Labrador. Our research shows that while tariff reductions for seafood products into the EU are considered a positive change, there are concerns that the phasing-out of a provincial policy that protects local employment may enhance vulnerabilities of coastal communities. Further, domestic funding support created to bolster the fishery sector is inadequate in addressing long-term issues. Considering that the coastal communities of the GNP are facing both market pressures and a lack of adequate resource access, it is unclear the extent to which CETA influences the existing situation or induces further change effecting local viability. A principled governance of seafood trade policy is imperative to elevate local protections over the homogenizing effect of free trade.