Tag Archives: Department of Fisheries and Oceans
LIFO policy: Newfoundland and Labrador will take a major hit if the inshore shrimp fishery collapses
“In 2015, the inshore shrimp fishery contributed $250 million to the economy of rural Newfoundland and Labrador,” Phil Barnes said. “Economic hubs like Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook and St. John’s all benefit from the inshore fishery. “Inshore harvesters buy vehicles, groceries, fuel, gear and repair services. Plant workers also spend their income at local businesses,” he said. Barnes said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has to scrap its “last in-first out” (LIFO) for the Northern shrimp fishery. “Our inshore fleet has access to one area (Area 6) for a few months of the year while the offshore trawlers are in multiple areas all year round,” he said. “Someone is always there and this has to stop. Read the story here 12:57
Department of Fisheries and Oceans: Northern cod biomass at highest rate since 1992
The Atlantic cod stocks are returning, but there’s still a long way to go before a large-scale commercial fishery becomes viable again. That’s the finding of new research by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which shows that cod stocks in the Northern region are on the way towards leaving the “critical” designation. The stock in the 2J, 3K and 3L regions has increased to an estimated 538,000 tons of fish — the highest rate since 1992. Still, the stock only reaches 34 per cent of the level needed to escape the “critical” zone. DFO performs stock assessments every three years, sourcing information from vessel surveys, commercial catches, tags on the cod and more. In 2013, the stock reached about 300,000 tons in biomass. Today, it’s almost double that. Read the story here 08:23
West Point Scallop fishermen worried about Barnacle covered scallops
In 44 years of fishing scallops, Tony Sharpe says he’s never seen anything like it. Many of the scallops his drags bring up from beds off West Point are covered with barnacles. What’s worse is the meat, even in many of the large shells, is quite small. He wonders if there is a connection between the barnacles and the poor meat count some fishermen have been encountering since the season opened May 2. Sharpe wonders if the weight of the barnacles is making it difficult for the scallops to feed properly, thus impacting meat growth. The situation has some fishermen wondering whether steps need to be taken to protect the fishery. Miminegash fisherman Mark MacRae is among them. Read the rest here 13:31:11
Just for the Halibut – Quota in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
While most attention these days is focused on who should should get how much of a share of northern shrimp, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is trying to decide how the Atlantic halibut quota in the Gulf should be shared between fishermen in the five Atlantic provinces. These days, fishermen who ply the waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, fetch anywhere from $6 to $7 a pound for halibut they catch on hook and line. The quota in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is limited — just over 800 tonnes for the past two fishing seasons — and is shared up between five provinces. Read the rest here 08:58
Last In, First Out review sees duelling public campaigns by inshore and offshore shrimp harvesters
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will review the Last In, First Out (LIFO) policy for the northern shrimp fishery and that has two groups of harvesters launching two very different public campaigns. Earlier this year the federal government announced it would temporarily suspend the controversial policy. Some fishermen fear a review will work against the smaller inshore boats as they were the last to enter the fishery. In an attempt to win favour by tugging on the hearts and minds of people in this province, both inshore and offshore supporters have released videos. Watch the competing videos here 09:16
Last In-First Out (LIFO) policy – DFO official assures advisory panel is ‘arms-length and independent
An official from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) says the Ministerial Advisory Panel chosen to assess the Last In-First Out (LIFO) policy on northern shrimp is an “arms-length” independent panel. Fisheries and Oceans minister Hunter Tootoo declined a request for an interview earlier this week. Instead, Sylvie Lapointe, DFO’s director general of fisheries management, was chosen to answer questions posed by TC Media regarding the appointment and independence of the panel. As for the choice of panelists, Lapointe said the minister selected the members based on their “wide range of skills, experience and expertise, to ensure we can have an independent and comprehensive review of the LIFO policy.” Read the rest here 11:45
In the COSEWIC Crosshairs: West Prince eel fisherman fearful for eel fishery
A West Prince eel fisherman worries far-reaching restrictions might be placed on the American Eel fishery here without recognizing the many steps Prince Edward Island fishermen have undertaken to prevent over-fishing. Tignish resident Allan McInnis attended a Department of Fisheries and Oceans consultation meeting in Charlottetown in late January during which DFO explained the Species At Risk Act (SARA).The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) identified the American ell as a species of special concern in 2006. COSEWIC subsequently reassessed the American eel, the species fished throughout the Atlantic as “threatened” in 2012. Read the rest here 13:31
Snow Crab season opens Friday for Area 12, Fishermen expect a strong price.
ALBERTON — Carter Hutt anticipates there will be a drive on Wednesday morning to get crab boats ready for a season which is scheduled to get underway on Friday. Hutt is president of the 27-member P.E.I. Snow crab Association. He learned soon after a Tuesday afternoon conference call with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that fishermen on the call agreed unanimously to have the snow crab season for Area 12, which includes P.E.I. boats, commence at 4 a.m. Friday. The opening, however, remains dependent upon favourable ice and wind conditions. Even before the conference call, Hutt was optimistic the season would start Friday. Read the rest here 17:52
Must-read court decision for anyone with an interest in the fishery
It’s a different coast and a different ocean – and the case was heard in Vancouver – but a judge in the Federal Court, originally from Newfoundland, has put together some required reading for anyone whose province has a fishery. Judge Elizabeth Heneghan has written a fascinating fisheries primer in her 16,500-word March 11 decision in Calwell Fishing Ltd., Melvin Glen Calwell, Dale Vidulich, Gerald Warren, Aquamarine Transportation Ltd. and George Manson, plaintiffs, and Her Majesty the Queen, defendant. (You can see it here – (You can see it here – http://bit.ly/1MVXZer) There is, by the way, one other reference to the Atlantic coast, but it’s almost certainly an error. There is, by the way, one other reference to the Atlantic coast, but it’s almost certainly an error. The case has a simple theme: what rights do you have to take action against the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans if it changes fisheries rules and costs you your livelihood? Read the article, Click here 08:47
Department of Fisheries and Oceans cuts N.L. snow crab quotas for 2016 season
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has cut the total allowable catch for snow crab in Newfoundland and Labrador
this upcoming season by about 13 per cent. Some fishing areas will see quota cuts of more than that — division 3Ps, in the Placentia Bay area, will see a 30 per cent reduction, while most areas of 3K, along the northeast coast, will see a 20 per cent cut. Some areas of 3LNO also face 20 per cent cuts. DFO has set the 2016 total limit at 43,802 tonnes. The first divisions open for fishing on April 4. Link 08:57
LIFO (Last in-First out) numbers need a closer look: economist
Debate around the last in, first out (LIFO) policy for the allocation of shrimp quotas rages, even as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans begins to re-evaluate applying its quota cuts to inshore fishermen before any larger, year-round enterprises. At the Comfort Inn in St. John’s Tuesday afternoon, made a presentation at a gathering of the St. John’s Board of Trade, saying more study would help any facts-based debate and decision-making around LIFO. He told his audience, based on figures available, he would expect the province’s GDP to fall $540 for every tonne of shrimp transferred from the year-round fleet to the inshore fishery. Read the rest here 09:20
Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ last in, first out (LIFO) is working exactly as planned
LIFO was never intended to have a long shelf life. Its purpose was and is to pave the way for what has been in the planning and negotiating stage for a long time now, and which is designed to replace it — the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union. Between now and when that trade agreement is ratified, LIFO will help force inshore fishers, processors, plant workers, coastal communities and out of the fishery — and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is about to take a $280-million bribe to help grease the wheels. LIFO is merely a symptom, a precursor if you will, to CETA. Read the rest here 08:40
For some reason, codfish off the province’s south coast aren’t living to a ripe old age.
“The obvious question is what’s going on?” said Rick Rideout, a research scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Rideout was the lead scientist on DFO’s science advisory report for last fall’s 3Ps cod stock assessment. The number of new fish in 3Ps seems to have improved in recent years, Rideout said Thursday, but the stock’s trajectory has taken a downward turn. “It’s above the limit reference point, but it’s certainly below the target of where we’d like it to be,” he said. There’s certainly some reason for concern, yeah.” Read the rest here 07:44
B.C. First Nation, fisheries officials agree to herring management plan
A First Nation on British Columbia’s central coast is applauding what it says is a dramatic move toward science-based, joint management of area herring stocks. The Heiltsuk Tribal Council says a management plan for the 2016 central coast herring fishery has been reached with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett says the plan contains four key improvements including a reduction in the central coast herring harvest rate to seven per cent from 10 per cent. Read the article here 13:58
Aquaculture review fast-tracked and expanded by federal government – Nova Scotia added to list
The federal government has restarted a process to review how fish farms are regulated, and will now expand the scope of the review to include more provinces. Last December, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans sought contractors to study the legislative and regulatory framework governing aquaculture. The document explained that “nine federal organizations are involved in regulatory roles for aquaculture, involving 10 different pieces of legislation.” There are additional controls at the provincial level. However, the review’s scope was limited to federal regulations and those in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island — no other province. Read the article here 10:47
Nova Scotia young lobster population shows no sign of decline
Federal fisheries scientists say their most recent sampling of juvenile lobster in southwest Nova Scotia indicate a decade-long trend of abundant populations is holding steady. “It’s closer to the long-term average. Not the extreme high or low. Somewhere along the middle of what we’ve seen,” said Adam Cook, a federal research scientist. Canada’s Fisheries and Oceans department has three sites in southwest Nova Scotia where it captures juvenile lobsters after they settle to the ocean floor. Read the article here 10:54
Federal agency accused of condemning British Columbia commercial sockeye fleet to feast-or-famine cycle
While fishermen in Alaska were enjoying a banner year thanks to massive returns of Bristol Bay sockeye, their counterparts in were pretty much idled, thanks to lower-than-expected returns of sockeye and pink salmon and to what fishermen say is overly cautious escapements. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) was not able to provide a final tally on this year’s returns. But Fraser River sockeye returns this year are unofficially being reported to be around two million – about a third of the 6.8 million median forecast – and Fraser River pink,,, Read the article here 15:37
Bluefin tuna industry needs more oversight, Pictou County fisherman says
A fisherman in Pictou County wants the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to increase oversight of the bluefin tuna fishing industry in Nova Scotia. Harold Bowen has fished out of Caribou along the Northumberland Strait his entire life, including for tuna. One day, earlier this fall, seven dead tuna — one weighing 317 kilograms — washed up on the rocks, Bowen said Wednesday. Part of the fishing line was still hooked in at least one of them, he said. He says that’s an indication the tuna died as a result of improper fishing practices,,, Read the article here 08:46
Turf War: Lobster fishermen charged after confrontation with First Nations
Anthony Peter-Paul expected his first season as a lobster fisherman to be tough and profitable, but it turned into a situation where, he says, he “felt helpless.” The St. Thomas University student, and Pabineau First Nation man, spent the 2015 season fishing lobster in the Bay of Chaleur with a first-time licence-holder, also from Pabineau. It started off with a fishermen’s meeting which they have every year at Stonehaven,” said Peter-Paul. Read the rest here 11:11
Commercial fisherman pulls a grass carp from his net in Lake Erie
On Thursday, September 17, 2015 a commercial fisherman had an interesting find when he pulled a grass carp from his net in Lake Erie .The Grass carp is a species of the Asian carp, which feeds on aquatic vegetation. The fish was caught west of Point Pelee Thursday morning and weighed in at about 23 pounds (10.5 kilograms), though they have been known to grow upwards of 99 pounds (45 kilograms). The carp was sent to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Burlington for testing. This specific testing will include whether the fish was fertile or sterile,,, Read the rest here 12:22
Cooling water in the Fraser River system take heat off returning salmon
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is relieved to see water temperatures in the Fraser River system slowly dropping from summertime highs that could have proved lethal to returning salmon. Area director Stu Cartwright says temperatures are now around 15 or 16 degrees, an acceptable range crucial to the health of 1.5-million sockeye due to reach spawning grounds in B.C. over the coming weeks. But despite the good news about cooler river temperatures, Cartwright says there is still concern about the total number of returning fish. Read the rest here 16:28
Nearly four times as many tuna landed on P.E.I. than same time last year
In 2014, the Island fleet had landed 28 fish, weighing 6.988 tonnes by September 3. By September 3 this year, Department of Fisheries and Oceans numbers indicate 107 tuna, weighing approximately 25 tonnes, have already made their way to buying stations. Good August weather might partly explain the higher landings so far this year suggests Doug Fraser, a member of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association’s tuna advisory committee. P.E.I benefitted from a in previous years, too, but this year it is being handled separately. Read the rest here 09:25
P.E.I. eel fishermen want 2-week season delay
P.E.I. eel fishermen say they need a later start to the season to avoid finding dead eels in their nets. The problem is the water in the warm rivers is anoxic, the result of decaying sea lettuce stripping all the oxygen out of the water. “Eels get in the net and if the water where the net is goes anoxic, then they can’t get out and they succumb,” said Bruce Raymond of the Department of Environment. The issue is becoming an annual problem that fishermen want to avoid. “The first day, fellas on the river lost the whole catch, as far as four to 500 pounds on that day. Read the rest here 08:29
Ocean blob brings tropical fish to B.C. coast
Something unusual is happening off the coast of British Columbia. Fish species normally found in the warm waters of the tropics are finding their way north — and a blob is being blamed. Ian Perry, a research scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans based on Vancouver Island, says butterfish, tope sharks, ocean sunfish, even a finescale triggerfish have all been spotted further north than usual. Perry says it’s not uncommon for some of these fish to find their way northward every five to 10 years, whenever there’s an El Nino, a massive patch of warm water that appears in the Equatorial Pacific every few years. Read the rest here 09:51
Controversial commercial fishery on Howe Sound shut down
A commercial fishery on Howe Sound was shut down by the federal government last week after it was discovered there wasn’t “the abundance of fish” originally expected — despite prior warnings from local anglers of low pink salmon numbers. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced the pink salmon fishery for Aug. 10 to 15, limiting it to two seine vessels between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. It was shut down Wednesday, Aug. 12. “The DFO was not yet seeing the abundance of fish that were anticipated for that time, therefore it was prudent,,, Read the rest here 20:16
Salmon fishing shut down on the Fraser River in the Lower Mainland
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans shut down all salmon fishing in the Fraser River from the mouth to the railway bridge in Mission. Concerns over the number of sockeye salmon prompted the restrictions on commercial, First Nations and recreational activity. The summer runs are coming in with 3.5 million fewer fish than forecasted numbers. Lower river levels and warmer water temperatures expected to lead to a much higher mortality rate at salmon spawning grounds. Video, Read the rest here 09:08
Survival of local fleets, communities – Maritime Fishermen’s Union supports DFO owner/operator and fleet separation policies.
The Maritime Fishermen’s Union 
(MFU) has been pushing for stricter enforcement of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans owner operator and fleet separation policies. Squires said that in order for fishermen to get a fair price, there needs to be competition at the wharf level for the purchase of their fish. “If a fish buying company owns the fishing boats, the buying stations and the processing facilities, they have no reason to pay a good price at the wharf level — they just make their profit somewhere along the line.” Read the rest here 08:36
Wearing Rose Colored Glasses on P.E.I. – High hopes that Invasive green crabs could become lucrative commercial fishery
P.E.I.’s first commercial green crab fishery is underway. Fourteen fishermen have been granted licences from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to fish this invasive species until mid-November. Not a lot of green crab has been landed so far. Fishermen believe the two recent harsh winters have knocked numbers down. Luke Poirier says chefs have been making the crab into a single-bite appetizer using Cajun-style spices. He believes a successful soft-shelled crab fishery will be established eventually on P.E.I. Read the rest here 09:47
Erecting old Markets, Plan calls for revival of seal penis sales
Sales of Canadian seal products could get a lift if the federal Fisheries Department adopts a plan that, among other things, calls for the revival of the controversial seal penis trade, a key supporter of the East Coast seal hunt says. says its five-year plan, dated March 2014, focuses on creating markets for a number of products that could be derived using every part of the seal carcass. Officials at the Fisheries Department declined an interview, but said in an emailed response that they were considering the report. Read the rest here 10:07
FFAW members protest federal ‘attacks’ on N.L. fisheries – P.E.I.’s halibut quota a “kick in the gut”
Around 50 fishers and several politicians came out in front of the Joseph R. Smallwood building to voice their anger with the decisions of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea. FFAW members say recent policies appeal to Maritime voters while disadvantaging workers in this province. “These continued attacks by the federal Conservative government on rural Newfoundland and Labrador are shameful,” FFAW president Keith Sullivan said in a statement. Read the rest here 09:51
