Tag Archives: Department of Fisheries & Oceans
Fisheries licensing process for Inshore Fishermen has to be fair: minister
One of the concerns for the future of the inshore fishery in this province is how difficult it can be for potential new entrants to obtain fishing licences and financial backing for vessels and gear. The issue was addressed by federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc in a speech to the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters Federation in Nova Scotia on Tuesday. LeBlanc said he wants to make the licensing process for inshore fishermen fairer, and is looking for their input into how best to do it. “Fishing licences have become over-valued in recent years,” the minister said. “This makes it extremely difficult for young fishermen to access the fishery, and more often than not prevents new entrants altogether.,, click here to read the story 09:46
Fishermen never wanted a big brother – John Gillett, inshore fisherman, Twillingate
Our fishing and sealing industries mean a lot to us. We never looked to government or wanted the Canadian government to be a big brother to us. Mother Nature was our enforcer until the Department of Fisheries came along with its heavy hand that sent our culture in a downward spin. They gave permits to offshore draggers foreign and domestic to reap the spawning grounds in winter while the majority of fish harvesters were onshore in the winter mending gear and repairing or building boats to catch the returning fish coming from the offshore in the spring and summer. They put in place licence conditions that only a Philadelphia lawyer could understand. Read the letter here 08:46
Researching lobster stock trends in southwestern N.S. by tracking juvenile lobsters
Each year researchers collect samples of juvenile lobsters from the ocean floor in Lobster Bay in Yarmouth County and St. Mary’s Bay in Digby County to track levels of juvenile lobster. Three years ago scientists said there were “troubling signs.” Last year they said sampling had yielded the highest levels ever. This year the numbers aren’t as high as they were last year. “The numbers were definitely lower than last year,” says DFO research scientist Adam Cook. “They’re more on par with what we’ve seen in past years, so it is uncertain as to what that means.” Read the article here 12:21
