Closure of lobster fishing: Minister of Fisheries calls emergency meeting

Fisheries, Oceans and Coast Guard Minister Diane LeBouthillier is calling an emergency meeting with representatives of the lobster fishing industry on Thursday.

In a press release, she recognizes that the decision of her ministry to close an important fishing zone off the Acadian Peninsula due to the presence of North Atlantic right whales while the season is in full swing is a hard blow for coastal communities.

For sustainable fishing

However, she points out that the measures taken aim to protect this species and ensure that seafood products caught in Canada are recognized as sustainable.

This, she adds, will ensure that the seafood caught by our fishermen continues to command high prices and conquer markets around the world.

Lobster fishermen received a first notice on Friday, informing them of the closure of several fishing quadrangles in zone 23C for 15 days starting May 22.

On Wednesday, a new advisory indicated that nearly a dozen quads would be closed for the remainder of the season due to additional whale detections (black quads). If there are no other whale sightings in the rest of the area (red quadrilaterals), fishing can resume on May 31.

A new fisheries crisis is emerging

The ministry’s decision arouses great anger and many fears in the Acadian Peninsula.

While the provincial deputy for Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou, Éric Mallet, speaks of a time bombthe president of the Forum of Mayors of the Acadian Peninsula and mayor of Caraquet, Bernard Thériault, raises the possibility of a new conflict.

As former Minister of Fisheries [provincial] who lived through the crises of 1997 and 2003, we don’t need that, we don’t need a crisisunderlines Bernard Thériault.

It will take 10 years to bring back the discomfort if the minister goes ahead with her decision.

If [jeudi] morning, nothing is happening, I don’t know how people will react. I don’t know how these fishermen will reactadds Éric Mallet.

The federal MP for Acadie-Bathurst, Serge Cormier, is also getting impatient.

We need to have a solution quicklyhe believes.

We must also protect our communities, we must not put them in danger, he said, denouncing the lack of flexibility of the department and its officials in Ottawa. Serge Cormier estimates the financial losses for his region between 25 and 30 million dollars.

Worried fishermen

The Maritime Fishermen’s Union indicated at a press conference on Wednesday that its fishermen would remain at the dock on Thursday, but that the traps would be left in the water in the shallowest areas.

They are still hoping for flexibility from the ministry to continue fishing in coastal waters with a depth of less than 10 fathoms (18 meters).

Fishermen who do not comply with fishing bans are likely to receive fines.

The ministry reminds buyers that it is prohibited to purchase lobster from a closed fishery.

Bryan Bezeau, general manager of the Lamèque Island Fishermen’s Cooperative Association, hopes to have further clarification from the ministry. He particularly fears the repercussions of illegal purchasing on the sustainable certifications that the region’s lobster has, such as the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification.

But at the same time, he says he stands in solidarity with the fishermen in his region.

It affects a lot of people’s livelihoods. It puts unnecessary stress on the entire community.he believes.

With information from Réal Fradette and the show In the morning, from here Acadia