Fishing for truth, again

Three times in five shows, now, the Fisheries Broadcast has broadcast the “trade deal” assertion. The mythmonger du jour was Father Des McGrath, who should have an acquaintance with the Eighth Commandment, or the Ninth, depending on how you count them, referring in his interview to:

trade deals allowing the sale of Canadian goods to offer more catch to the foreign nations within our own waters. that was the beginning of the downfall of the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador, and eastern Canada.

Since neither Agnes Noseworthy nor John Furlong seem to be able to answer them, perhaps Father McGrath would care to research the following questions:

WHO traded fish quotas to foreign countries?

To WHICH foreign countries?

WHAT fish?

In exchange for WHAT trade or foreign policy considerations or concessions?

WHEN did these deals occur?

WHAT was their duration?

WHERE were they signed or otherwise approved, and by WHOM?

WHY did this happen?

HOW, that is, under authority of what domestic or international legal regime, was this fish-for-X practice carried on?

This would be a great subject for one of the two media outlets in the province devoted to fisheries matters to investigate in detail.

Or maybe even The Independent, given that it's so inependence —, er, independent-minded.

Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that those "trade deals" were made.

If that's the case, then each one of the questions above should have a factual and documented answer.

Right, John Furlong?

Agnes?

Father Des?

Telegram?

Anyone?