SEA-NL elects new President, first woman leader of fisheries organization in province’s history
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, Feb. 27th, 2023, Fortune-based inshore enterprise owner Pamela Patten has been elected President of Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL), believed to be the first woman to lead a fisheries organization in the province’s history.
“As a woman I will obviously bring a slightly different perspective to the table, but my role will be to unite owner-operators around the province regardless of fleet or gender,” says Patten, who runs the Bradley Venture, a 39’11 longliner that primarily fishes snow crab and lobster.
Patten, a mother of four, has been an enterprise owner for 11 years, and a fisher person for 22. She was elected President during SEA-NL’s AGM this past Saturday, Feb. 25th in Gander, and replaces Bay Bulls enterprise owner Jason Sullivan.
During the AGM SEA-NL passed five policy resolutions, including a call for Ottawa to lift the moratorium on Atlantic mackerel in 2023, and set a quota at least equal to the U.S. quota for the same stock; for the feds to provide a detailed action plan within six months to deal with seal populations throughout Canada; for the Prime Minister to take a stronger stand against foreign overfishing; and for the Government of Canada to order an independent external review of DFO science/management in the NL Region.
SEA-NL is a professional, non-profit association that serves as the distinct voice of licensed, independent, inshore owner-operator fish harvesters in the province.
Contact: Ryan Cleary
