"The crab fisherpeople in the 2J region have lobbied DFO for years for protection and conservation of the stock," said Jones. "The first action to protect the resource came last year when the area had already suffered a decline in the stock by 70 per cent over a three year period.

"The further cuts today will add to the extreme burden and pressures already being tolerated by fishers, plantworkers, companies and communities in the region. These people are almost totally dependent upon the crab fishery, which has been the main source of economic wealth in the region for the past decade and a half."

Jones said she lives on the doorstep of the fishery and watches 100 plant workers pass her door everyday to go to work. "This is a very sad day - so many people are watching a livelihood slip away and feel helpless to save it. Each year, the numbers of workers in the industry are getting smaller, the hours are getting shorter and the weeks of work are limited."

Jones says that the people in Southern Labrador are very proud of their rural fishing roots but it is getting more difficult to earn a good living. She says the closure of the cod fishery in the Labrador Straits last year, the continuous reduction of crab quotas in southeast coast and the bungled government decisions on marine services will have the largest impact ever on the local economy this year.

The Liberal MHA is concerned that the list of viable fishing enterprises is getting shorter and the number of plant workers qualifying for EI is down. She adds there are no other jobs and the Tory Government is single handedly destroying the tourism industry and hospitality sector with their politically motivated decisions on ferries and marine services.