A recent announcement from Sipekne’katik First Nation surrounding their Moderate Livelihood fishery has left many local fishers baffled.
A press release issued Wednesday states that Chief Mike Sack and Council approved a temporary two-week closure of their moderate livelihood fishery anywhere near the Roseway Basin on Tuesday due to the presence of North Atlantic Right Whales in the region.
The release also notes that climate change has affected the North Atlantic Right Whale’s migration patterns, evidenced by observations of whales in the Roseway Basin so late in the year.
DFO issued the directive to close the Roseway Basin critical habitat area due to the presence of whales on November 19th.
The Basin encompasses small parts of Brown’s Bank and the western tip of Baccaro bank in LFAs 33 and 34, off the coast of Shelburne County.
Sipekne’katik’s Moderate Livelihood fishery was launched in St. Mary’s Bay in Digby County – an inshore fishery at the opposite end of the LFA.
Local fishers say they’re not aware of any Sipekne’katik fishers having used the Roseway Basin grounds for their Moderate Livelihood lobster fishery.
They also note that the Moderate Livelihood fishery continues in St. Mary’s Bay.
Chief Sack and Council are also calling on DFO and commercial fishers to extend the closure if necessary, in order to ensure ‘safe feeding and southward migration of the North Atlantic Right Whale’.