Two business fishers harvesting child eels underneath new federal guidelines say they felt they needed to cease fishing on Sunday night time when a big group of Indigenous fishers arrived on the river and arrange their nets.
Suzy Edwards, an worker of Atlantic Elver Fishery, mentioned one of many fishers instructed her he was from Sipekne’katik First Nation they usually have been making an announcement that they don’t settle for Ottawa’s not too long ago imposed system that distributed the quota for the profitable catch.
Below the system, the licence holders — together with the 20 First Nations who have been new entrants — are given quotas based mostly on how many individuals stay of their communities.
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Ottawa determined final yr that half of the allowed catch of 9,950 kilograms held by long-standing business licence holders could be transferred — with out compensation — to First Nations.
Edwards and her fishing companion Alan MacHardy say that underneath the brand new system the corporate she works for has retained the federal licence to work on the Hubbards River, however they felt they needed to stay of their truck after the First Nations group arrived and no federal enforcement officers got here.
In a latest letter despatched to the federal Fisheries Division, Chief Bob Gloade of Millbrook First Nation mentioned Sipekne’katik has joined along with his First Nation to say their jurisdiction and create their very own elver fishing plans, which incorporates their proper to decide on which rivers to fish.
Chief Michelle Glasgow of Sipekne’katik didn’t instantly reply to an emailed request for remark.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 31, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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