Nova Scotia MP says DFO to blame for rise of elver fishery poaching
Posted Apr 21, 2023 08:12:57 AM.
Last Updated Apr 26, 2023 04:50:44 AM.
The Member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret’s says the neglect of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is to blame for the shutdown of the elver fishery.
Rick Perkins says the DFO’s recent 45-day shutdown to conserve baby eel stock from poachers is only hurting licensed fishers.
He tells CityNews Halifax the federal fisheries department has neglected poachers for years and the federal strike is making things worse.
“The public service strike has resulted in absolutely zero DFO enforcement officers on the water for any fishery,” says Perkins. “So we are going to get an increased amount of poaching and lawlessness and violence in the elver fishery and perhaps in other fisheries.”
Perkins, who is also Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, adds the DFO could also call in the RCMP for assistance to deal with poachers, but have chosen not to go that route.
On Wednesday, a commercial fisher asked the federal court to review the shutdown, saying the closure would have a devastating impact for licensed fishers.
In an emailed statement, Jeff Woodland, press secretary for the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard tells CityNews their priority is the safety of the public and the conservation of the COSEWIC-listed American Eel stock.
“DFO doubled the number of Fishery Officers enforcing the elver fishery and they have conducted over 700 patrols, seized gear and unauthorized catches, and have made numerous arrests,” the statement reads.
“Due to an influx of unprecedented unauthorized fishing, including by those outside of the Maritimes and Canada, as well as violence on the water, Minister (Joyce) Murray made the decision to close the elver fishery.”
“As was the case even before the fishery opened and continues to be the case, Conservation and Protection officers are working alongside the RCMP and other agencies to combat illegal elver fishing and enforce the law.”
At $5,000 a kilogram, baby eels are grown to market size and sold as food such as sushi.
