Tag Archives: Fisheries and Oceans
Fisheries report brings hope to Indigenous communities, sparks anger in industry
“I was pleasantly surprised, to be honest,” said Rosalie Francis, a member of the Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia. But elsewhere in the province, the surprise has been significantly less pleasant. There are concerns the report titled “Peace on the Water” is instead stoking anger in communities where lobster is a livelihood. Representatives of the commercial fishing industry say they’re frustrated they weren’t invited to speak to the Senate as it drafted the report on Indigenous rights. It’s “throwing fuel on a fire” in an area where tensions have remained high since 2020, said Colin Sproul, president of the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance, which has about 1,900 members. >click to read< 12:09
New Report Shows Canadian Government Has Failed Indigenous Fishers
The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans had harsh words for the Canadian federal government. At a meeting this week in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the committee presented its new report, which looked at the implementation of Indigenous rights-based fisheries. Its findings suggest that, despite more than two decades since key precedents were set, the fisheries have not been fully implemented. This has led, the committee stated, to confusion, tension and violence. In Canada’s Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador), as well as parts of Quebec, 35 First Nations have a treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood. >click to read< 14:50
Vancouver Island: Controversy grows as herring fishery approaches
Anticipation is growing in French Creek’s harbour as herring boats began to fill it Wednesday ahead of the fishery opening. The opening could be any day. Fisheries and Oceans test boats have already recorded herring returning to spawn. “Could be any minute now, you know Mother Nature is temperamental,” said Captain of the Pender Isle Jason Roberts. Video, >click tp read< 12:32
Five things Steve Crocker told the standing committee on fisheries and oceans
Provincial Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods Minister Steve Crocker appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans this morning at the Sheraton Hotel, St John’s. His presentation was part of the committee’s study on the northern cod stock, which stretches from the Grand Banks to the south coast of Labrador. Newfoundland and Labrador has an extremely small share of the current global cod market. Currently, the Newfoundland and Labrador cod fishery primarily produces single frozen fillets and portions in the form of loins and tails,,, The management of forage species such as caplin can be better integrated with the management objective for cod, and the impact of competitors and predators such as seals could also be considered,,, Read the rest here 13:11
Little known about acidification and fish, Study Suggests
An increasingly acidic Pacific Ocean threatens valuable Canadian fisheries and little is known about how greenhouse gases will affect marine plants and animals, says an internal federal report. The report was delivered earlier this year by the , a group of federal and university scientists who came together to recommend ways to handle the emerging issue, which has already affected shellfish farms in British Columbia. Read the rest here 19:16
Cyberattack crashes Fisheries and Oceans, other Canadian government websites, e-mail
A cyberattack crashed federal government websites and e-mail on Wednesday afternoon, Treasury Board President Tony Clement said. He said it was a denial-of-service attack on the gc.ca domain server, which rendered many federal government websites inaccessible and left many government e-mail accounts unusable. “There’s been a cyberattack on the gc servers of the government of Canada,” the minister told The Globe and Mail. Industry, Employment, Natural Resources, ,,, Read the rest here 17:25
P.E.I. lobster fishermen tied to dock while Mother’s Day lobster exports drift away
P.E.I. lobster fishermen will lose out on some of the biggest days for lobster sales with the delayed start to the season. Fisheries and Oceans will update fishermen in the Gulf Region on Monday. So far, the earliest lobster fishermen will be able to set traps is Thursday. Traditionally Island fishermen see brisk sales on Mother’s Day. However, it takes two days to ship lobster to off-Island markets. Read the rest here 13:44
Crab and prawn fishing banned in Burrard Inlet in wake of fuel spill
The department of Fisheries and Oceans has banned fishing for shellfish and groundfish in Burrard Inlet in the wake of last week’s fuel spill, and observers are questioning why the federal agency didn’t make that decision sooner. The spokeswoman added there is “no evidence that shellfish and groundfish in the area of the oil spill pose a danger, but due caution is being exercised until sampling results confirm they can be safely consumed.” Read the rest here 21:56
Mine spill ‘unlikely’ to harm spawning Fraser sockeye
The Mount Polley mine tailings pond spill is “unlikely” to significantly harm Fraser River sockeye now returning to spawn in fouled Quesnel Lake, according to the Pacific Salmon Commission. <Read more here> 13:41
Fisheries and Oceans says Fraser River sockeye numbers up from 2009
“Fraser sockeye have had some highly variable return rates over the years, so this isn’t one of the better ones, but it is an improvement.” Jantz said sockeye in 2010 returned in near-record numbers — 30 million by some estimates — and the department is seeing an improving annual trend in marine survival, and its scientists hope those numbers will continue into the future. Still, the news isn’t all good for the 2013 run, and the fishery has been closed since the second week of August because of high water temperatures and poor river conditions. In fact, Jantz said the mortality rate of returning sockeye is expected to hit 70 per cent. more@theprovince 22:59
Egmont MP Gail Shea has returned to her former post as fisheries minister, from National Revenue into Fisheries and Oceans during a major cabinet shuffle Monday.
“I want what every fisherman wants, that is, to be a viable business so they can make a decent living from a sustainable fishery. I’ve said from day one the answers, the solutions have to come from the industry so I would hope that there will be a fulsome discussion in the fall and going into the winter that will come from the report that will be generated.” continued@theguardian
