Clearwater says surf clam monopoly saves jobs, stays mum on ethics ruling

Restoring Clearwater Seafoods' monopoly on the lucrative Arctic surf clam fishery will save jobs at its operations in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, the Halifax-based company said Wednesday.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced Tuesday it was returning the remaining 25 per cent of the surf clam quota to Clearwater for 2018 and 2019.

Clearwater, which already controlled 75 per cent of the quota, said 450 people work in its Atlantic surf clam operations.

"This is great news for our employees," said Christine Penney, vice-president sustainability and public affairs at Clearwater.

"So there will be no adjustments required in the operations and workforce given that we've got access to this 25 per cent." 

No comment on LeBlanc rebuke

That licence was recently the subject of a four-month federal ethics investigation. Commissioner Mario Dion ruled former fisheries minister Dominic LeBlanc broke conflict of interest rules when he awarded the licence to Five Nations because the company is linked to his wife's cousin.

Penney declined to comment on the ruling Wednesday.

Clearwater will compete again

Clearwater had previously warned that awarding 25 per cent of the quota to another licence holder would mean job cuts, with workers at its processing plant in Grand Bank, N.L., the likeliest to be hit.

Penney said Clearwater will again team up with First Nations in a bid to win the quota back permanently.

"We strongly feel given our experience in this unique fishery and given the assets we have deployed, we would be best positioned to provide employment and tangible benefits to Indigenous partners."