Tag Archives: Lennox Island First Nation
Lennox Island First Nation hoping for more access to lobster fishery
The Lennox Island First Nation wharf is busy these days, in the band’s third year of treaty fishing for lobster, but Chief Darlene Bernard would like to see it busier. Though there has been a commercial fishery based in the community off P.E.I’s North Shore for decades, Bernard said the newly exercised right to harvest lobster under treaties signed long ago means about 10 young families are better able to pay their bills. With a waiting list of about the same number of people who would like to take part in the fishery, Bernard wants to see more commercial licences made available for Lennox Island through a Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) purchase program. “We need to have an equitable share of the bounty of the resources in this province moving forward,” she said. Video, photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:20
Lennox Island to fish 1,000 lobster traps off P.E.I.’s North Shore, with or without DFO signoff
The chief of Lennox Island First Nation says it will fish 1,000 traps in the spring lobster fishery off P.E.I.’s North Shore this year as part of its treaty-protected fishery — whether or not the Department of Fisheries and Oceans approves. The First Nation was planning to do the same last year, but ended up reaching an understanding with DFO to fish no more than the 300 traps the federal government could authorize in the spring, and later fish another 700 off the South Shore as part of the fall lobster fishery. Chief Darlene Bernard said she’s always been clear about her community’s intention to fish all 1,000 traps out of their own wharf on Lennox Island in the spring of 2023, and now they’ll be following through. >click to read< 11:38
Lennox Island treaty fishers join P.E.I.’s fall lobster fishery for 1st time
For the first time, and possibly the last time, treaty fishers from Lennox Island First Nation are taking part in Prince Edward Island’s fall lobster fishery. Crews in two boats began setting out the first 400 treaty traps Thursday morning from the wharf at Borden on the Island’s south shore. “There are some fishermen there who we spoke to and who are opening their arms and welcoming us there. So we’re really appreciative of that,” said Lennox Island Chief Darlene Bernard. In the future, Bernard said Lennox Island intends to fish all of its 1,000 treaty traps during the spring season – when boats can operate out of their own wharf. >click to read< 08:30
Lennox Island, DFO reach ‘interim understanding’ on lobster treaty fishery
The fishery hadn’t been authorized by DFO before it launched on May 7, which meant it could have been subject to enforcement including trap seizures or fines. “We have continued discussions with DFO in the hopes of reaching some kind of understanding that would see our community members able to exercise our treaty right to fish and harvest lobster, while respecting conservation and sustainability,” Chief Darlene Bernard said in a written release. >click to read< 17:18
No incidents, but tension simmering as Lennox Island launches treaty fishery
“Everything went smooth and no trouble and it was a great day,” said Kyle Sark, captain of the lobster boat Way Point. The treaty fishers were able to set about 240 traps on Saturday, but plan to set 1,000 in what they say represents the “moderate livelihood” to which they are entitled. They said they have had trouble launching boats, because local boat-moving companies say non-Indigenous fishermen have threatened to boycott them. And with no understanding with DFO in place, it is raising tensions in the fishing community. PEIFA strongly advocates for peace on the water leaving any enforcement related to this unauthorized fishery to DFO and other authorities. >click to read< 15:19
Lennox Island treaty lobster fishery gets underway without government approval
Treaty fishers set out following a morning ceremony at the island’s harbour, a week after the P.E.I. First Nation announced it would launch a moderate living fishery without authorization from the federal government. The initial plan was to set 1,000 lobster traps during the first day of the fishery. But Chief Darlene Bernard said they had to lower that target because some of the fishers did not have enough time to prepare. The decision to launch the fishery without the government’s authorization follows two years of negotiations between Lennox Island and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that broke down last week. >click to read< 10:08
Why Lennox Island First Nation is launching a treaty fishery without federal approval
Prince Edward Island’s Lennox Island First Nation is set to launch its first moderate livelihood fishery, or treaty fishery on Saturday. The fishery is not authorized by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, after negotiations to reach an agreement were unsuccessful, but the First Nation says it doesn’t have to be. To understand the significance of the decision to proceed without a nation-to-nation agreement in place, it’s important to know the history of the ongoing debate and the unique treaty rights held by the Mi’kmaq as the original inhabitants of the Maritime region. >click to read< 11:13
P.E.I. – Lennox Island First Nation to launch unauthorized treaty lobster fishery
The Lennox Island First Nation says it will be launching a treaty lobster fishery off P.E.I.’s North Shore next week with or without the federal government’s support. The First Nation has a clear treaty right to harvest lobster for a moderate livelihood without the federal government’s approval, a right affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1999 Marshall ruling. The First Nation intends to launch the treaty fishery on Saturday, May 7, weather permitting. On Thursday afternoon, the provincial fishermen’s association issued a written release, calling it “unfortunate” that discussions between the federal government, non-Indigenous fishing associations and First Nations have not taken place to discuss the requirements further. >click to read< 17:09
Lennox Island chief says First Nation has right to fish lobster in July
Chief Darlene Bernard was reacting to a statement the PEIFA issued last week indicating it supports a mid-summer ban on all lobster fishing activity in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. A news release indicated the ban, proposed as a conservation measure, would also include the food, social and ceremonial fishery, but as far as Bernard is concerned, that’s the only fishery that would be impacted by such a ban and she is having no part of it. “It’s still rights-based,” Bernard said of the First Nations’ food social and ceremonial fishery. >click to read< 09:09
‘They need to come to the table’, Lennox Island chief rejects PEIFA’s calls for July lobster fishery ban
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association is requesting a ban be implemented by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on lobster fishing for part of the summer. The association is supporting the idea of a ban on all lobster fishing in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence during midsummer, mainly July.,,, Chief Darlene Bernard of the Lennox Island First Nation said they have a ceremonial fishery in the month of July for the annual St. Anne’s Sunday celebration and she has no plans to stop it. >click to read< 18:21
How fellow fishermen worked together to rescue a crew in Hardy’s Channel
In the shallow waters of Hardy’s Channel, near Lennox Island, P.E.I., a swamped lobster fishing boat is still sitting half- submerged, after getting stuck in a sandbar on Monday. The crew was rescued late Monday morning after the boat started taking on water. Skipper Nick Lewis says he is grateful for the nearby fishermen who came to their rescue, and saved their lives. Three boats came to the aid of the five fishermen, who were all in the water, without survival suits on. >click to read<18:04
