Moderate livelihood fishery opens in Lennox Island, P.E.I.
LENNOX ISLAND, P.E.I. — When Chief Darlene Bernard tells her grandchildren about today, she’s going to say it was about taking motion to train their folks’s rights.
Lennox Island First Nation launched its average livelihood — or treaty — fishery on Could 7 with out authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
Whereas there was no battle with DFO or industrial fishers on Could 7, the fishery opened with about one quarter of the overall deliberate traps as a result of their hauler thought he could lose his job if he participated, Bernard mentioned.
“We did have some points with making an attempt to launch our bigger boats, and it was that the boat hauler wasn’t snug to launch our boats as a result of there have been strategies that, if he did, he wouldn’t launch one other non-Indigenous boat.”
LAUNCH
SaltWire known as the P.E.I. department of DFO to ask about this and their total stance on the fishery, however didn’t obtain a name again by deadline.
Lennox Island’s treaty fishery will finally set 1,000 traps, however solely 240 went out on Could 7 on two separate boats with a complete of 4 crew. One other 300 extra will probably be going later this week, Bernard mentioned.
Together with the hauler situation, the timing of the fishery announcement on the finish of April could have saved some fishers off the water, she added.
“We did let the neighborhood know and it was fairly late, so a number of the fishers who have been weren’t ready,” she mentioned. “However they may launch later within the week.”
Bernard has met with the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Affiliation, however she additionally famous the First Nation shouldn’t be obligated to barter with them. Lennox Island offers with the federal authorities on a nation to nation foundation, she mentioned.
The band additionally doesn’t should fish inside the season, however they will, Bernard mentioned, including additionally they won’t fish on Sundays or Wednesdays for conservation functions.
Nobody from the 2 fishing boats was out there for an interview as they have been busy making ready buoys and lobster traps after they briefly returned to harbour.
Lennox Island average livelihood fishery:
•In 1999, the Supreme Court docket of Canada affirmed the Mi’kmaq have a treaty proper to fish for a average livelihood of their conventional territory of Mi’kma’ki (the Maritimes).
•The federal authorities has by no means outlined average livelihood.
•After years of stalled negotiations, Lennox Island introduced in April it will launch a average livelihood fishery with out DFO authorization.
•Junior Gould, chief of Abegweit First Nation, the Island’s different First Nations band, says it’s ready for neighborhood consensus earlier than launching its personal treaty fishery.
HOPE
Elder Methilda Knockwood-Snache was on the on the morning of Could 7 the place she helped lead a ceremony and ship the fishers on their method.
“We should always be grateful for this excellent blue planet…particularly this island which is surrounded by water,” she mentioned. “It’s a safety.”
Knockwood-Snache is hopeful issues are turning round for her neighborhood, she mentioned in an interview after the ceremony.
“We’re being allowed to go do our conventional fishing and observe our treaty rights, and (I hope) that nobody interferes with that.”
Knockwood-Snache talked about the conflicts in Nova Scotia after First Nations bands in that province arrange average livelihood fisheries in 2020.
“I simply didn’t like how the fishermen have been upset with the Native folks as a result of they have been going out to do their conventional fishing,” she mentioned. “I simply hope that doesn’t occur right here, on this little island.”
Island Mi’kmaq and non-Indigenous folks have a great relationship, although, so Knockwood-Snache doesn’t count on any points, she mentioned.
“Ignorance has received lots to do with why that occurred in Nova Scotia.”
After the ceremony, three RCMP cruisers arrived round 8 a.m., and one officer briefly spoke with a member of the Lennox Island Coast Guard earlier than all three left.
DETAILS
Kristin Lewis, fisheries operations supervisor for Lennox Island, defined a number of the particulars of how the fishery will work.
There may be an utility and licensing course of for the fishery, and all traps are tagged with a treaty fishery tag. The fishery will cap out at 1,000 traps, as beneficial by the neighborhood.
Fishers personal their very own traps and perceive they’re taking the danger of dropping them if DFO cracks down, Lewis mentioned.
“It will be as much as the fishermen to buy extra gear.”
And this might occur, she mentioned.
“I haven’t heard something (at present),” Lewis mentioned. “We met with (DFO) final week they usually simply advised us that we could also be topic to enforcement.”
When requested her closing ideas on the launch, Bernard mentioned it marked the dawning of a brand new age.
“It’s a phenomenal day and I feel that it’s a historic day.”
Logan MacLean is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in P.E.I.
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