Why B.C.’s fishermen are struggling to survive

Fishery workers in B.C.’s coastal communities say they are having difficulty making a living. An expensive licensing or quota system that favours corporations with higher buying power than smaller, independent fishermen makes it hard to get into the industry. Cailyn Siider, a fifth-generation fish harvester from a small Finnish community near northern Vancouver Island, is one of many fishermen who are being affected by the system. She spoke at the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in April, resulting in a motion to study the issue forwarded by B.C. Liberal MP Ken Hardie.