"I am disappointed by the lack of action from the Federal Cabinet and the Prime Minister but I am especially disappointed with the provincial government who seem to have given up on this issue altogether. I mean how can we expect the federal government to take this issue seriously when our own government is not doing anything to push this issue forward," says Butler.

Butler explained that he was very disappointed that the Prime Minister and the Federal Cabinet did not support the Private Members Motion in the House of Commons earlier this month. "I think if they had supported this motion in a totally free vote it would have sent an important message to the international community that Canadians are united and ready to protect those straddling stocks."

The Liberal MHA says he is also disturbed by the double standard which is being displayed by the Federal Government. "There was money for the beef and chicken industry but the cod fishery gets no attention. We have a crisis off our coast which the government can actually do something to solve and they are refusing to act."

Butler says the Provincial Government has done nothing since taking office to change attitudes among the national media or politicians in Ottawa. "I was appalled to hear that the Conservative government in this province have taken previously budgeted money to fight foreign overfishing from this years budget as a cost saving measure. What they are doing may save money in the short-term but it is certainly not the right thing to do in the long-term.

Butler represents the District of Port de Grave which has an active fishing industry and he sponsored a private members motion in the House of Assembly in March of 2002 which called on the Federal Government to take custodial management of these fish stocks.