Friends of Cabot Martin to Raise Funds to Establish “Cabot Martin Award for Research in Regional Policy & Development”

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The “Friends of Cabot Martin” Committee announced that they intend to raise funds from the general public to finance a “Cabot Martin Award for Research in Regional Policy and Development” at Memorial University. Martin was a tireless advocate for the province for more than 50 years. He passed away suddenly in September 2022.

The Award will honor Martin who defended the province’s claim to ownership of our offshore resources and later participated in the negotiations which led to joint management of these resources in the 1985 Atlantic Accord. The Accord guaranteed that provincial royalty revenues would be treated the same as if the resources were located on land.

Cabot Martin’s vision held a large resource focus and it had a unity of purpose: the economic independence of the province, managing our petroleum and fishery resources, and, more recently, renewables such as wind and green hydrogen, to wrest control of our destiny and shape a better future.

 As much as he was associated with the advancement of the petroleum industry, Cabot was a tireless promoter and protector of the fishery. He was a persistent advocate of the adjacency principle giving the first claim to inshore fish harvesters of the resource. He also voiced the precautionary principle in fishery management and the need to guard against overfishing. As fish stocks became threatened, he was a pioneer in the development of the province’s aquaculture industry.

Committee Member Ray Andrews commented, “Cabot’s unwavering enthusiasm to support the NL fishery, especially the inshore, was evidence in his untiring efforts, which on some occasions were considered outside the box.”

In all matters, Cabot Martin believed that the best public policy decisions resulted from informed citizen engagement. Above all else, this informed his ardent criticism of the Muskrat Falls project.

Committee Chair, Des Sullivan, stated “the Cabot Martin Research Award will be conferred each year for six years, valued at up to $15,000, and based on criteria to be developed and applied by Memorial University. A key component of this award would require the successful candidate to deliver a public lecture on the conclusion of their findings.

Sullivan says “he is hopeful that, in addition to members of the public, the offshore oil and fishing industries will give their support and contribute to the Award.” 

Committee Member, David Vardy, commented that “the funds will be directed toward governance and policy issues which were so central to Cabot’s thinking, his writings and his public commentary.”

Added Vardy, “Cabot was a tireless promoter of the resources of the province. Advancing applied research projects, even on a modest scale, seems a fitting way to acknowledge the life that he spent promoting responsible resource development based on sound public policy.”

Committee Member, Pat Laracy added: “Cabot had an insatiable curiosity which led him into many ventures throughout his life, all of which were motivated with the best interests of the province in mind.”

Other Members of the “Friends of Cabot Martin” Committee include Diana Baird, Jonathan Moir, Carol Osmond, Rob Strong, Phonse Fagan, Con O’Brien, and Douglas Moores.

The Harris Centre at Memorial University is mandated to encourage and support “regional public policy and development” in the province.

Memorial University has established a Web Site giving additional details of Cabot’s life and contribution which is found at https://www.mun.ca/give/tribute/cabot-martin/

Donations to the “Cabot Martin Research Award” may be made on the Web Site or by mailing a cheque or money order payable to:

Memorial University

Office of Development
P.O. Box 4200
St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7