Swordfish Boycott Unjustified

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Jim Barkhouse says a partial boycott of swordfish by high-end New York restaurants is based on misinformation and is totally unjustified.

"The Nova Scotia swordfish industry is worth about $8 million to the province," said Mr. Barkhouse. "Our longline and harpoon fishermen are conservation-minded and abide by the rules set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)."

The commission is a 26-nation body that manages and regulates swordfishing as well as tuna fishing. Its decisions are based on strong scientific research and analysis.

"The facts are clear. This is a well-managed, model fishery. In the United States, there is a very powerful sportfishing lobby that is at odds with commercial fishermen," said Mr. Barkhouse. "The boycott is a result of a dispute between these two groups. I am not prepared to see our industry suffer as a consequence.

"I intend to work with the Nova Scotia Swordfishermen's Association to help get the facts out and get swordfish back on the menu in New York and elsewhere in the United States. Our fishermen have worked hard to develop a sustainable swordfishery and we will do whatever it takes to educate chefs and the American public about Nova Scotia's swordfish industry."