Liberal leader Mark Carney held his first federal election rally in St. John’s Sunday evening.

The rally began with about 100 fish harvesters protesting outside the St. John’s Convention Centre. Carney acknowledged the protesters in his opening remarks, saying he recognizes the importance of making decisions “closer to the wharf.”

Harvesters met with Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson about crab quota cuts in Zone 3K ahead of the speech, but were not happy with the outcome.

“I want to underscore, like the minister, I’m here to listen,” Carney told supporters inside the Convention Centre. “And I understand the importance of making decisions closer to the wharf. And one of the charges my new government has given to the minister of fisheries is to look at the structure of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and how do we get it closer. Because I know the harvesters, and we’re all here for sustainable fisheries and sustainable livelihoods, and we’re going to make sure that happens. So we’ll continue that dialogue.”