Lobster industry calling on feds to declare out-of-season fishing illegal

Unauthorized lobster fishing continues in St. Mary’s Bay.

Last month, Nova Scotia’s fisheries minister Kent Smith wrote to federal minister Diane Lebouthillier, demanding action be taken.

Smith says it’s led to criminal activity in Clare, and it’s putting public safety at risk.

Some Department of Fisheries and Oceans officers are also refusing to work in the field, citing safety concerns.

Industry representatives are calling on the feds to declare all out-of-season lobster fishing illegal.

Colin Sproul with the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance says the resource needs to be protected.

“There’s been so much talk about winners and losers, but the truth is, the lobster resource needs to be the only winner here. Then all the communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous that rely on it will win as well,” said Sproul.

He says they’ve asked the Supreme Court to confirm that the Fisheries Act applies to all, including Treaty fisheries.

Sproul says there should be no unauthorized lobster fishing until the court makes a decision, and fisheries officers need to know when people are breaking the law.

“We also need that clarity for public prosecutors. We’ve been trying to get governments to deal with this issue for 25 years, and mediation isn’t going to get us there. We need that clarity from the court.”

He says they support treaty rights in the fishery, but science-based rules must form any lobster-based fishing plans.

DFO seizes vessel, makes arrests

DFO says they conducted a seizure of lobster and a vessel in Saulnierville last week.

Three were arrested and later released, and nearly 300 lobster were put back into the ocean.

The department confirmed some officers are still refusing to work in certain conditions.

DFO says they respect that right, and they’re investigating all reports of unsafe working environments.

They say they’re making every effort to minimize operational impacts.