Tag Archives: without federal approval

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