The recent trade ruling has been described by both
union and corporate spokesmen as a disaster for the fishing
industry in British Columbia.

Long time fish companies, such as Ocean Fish and
Seafood Products Ltd. have said they will face closure and
will consider moving operations to the United States.

The figure of 4,000 to 5,000 jobs lost has been quoted
extensively from industry sources.

The ruling was made by a panel of an organization known
as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The ruling
says simply that regulations limiting the export of raw
sockeye and pink salmon and roe herring should be removed.

These regulations, placed on the three species shortly
after the turn of the century, were aimed at ensuring an
employment base in Canada and the conservation of the
stocks.

In effect, the regulations meant that before being
exported the fish had to pass through a Canadian plant for
initial processing.

In some cases this has meant the fish was canned and in
others it simply meant that it was frozen, graded and boxed
up for shipment.

For fishermen, the ruling will not bring the massive
increases in prices which some believe. U.S. and Japanese

fish buyers will not pay substantially more for fish than

their Canadian counterparts.