Statement on Response to Illegal Lobster Fishing

NOTE: The following is a statement from Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

After months of asking for a meeting on the serious issue of illegal lobster fishing, I finally met today, October 3, with Diane Lebouthillier, federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, in Ottawa.

We have repeatedly called for the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to address the illegal and off-season lobster harvesting in the Clare region and neighbouring communities in southwest Nova Scotia.

We discussed the need for the federal government to do its job and step up enforcement – they recently announced they are working to detect and deter illegal fishing internationally in the Pacific Ocean. We need them to do the same here at home to put an end to ongoing illegal fishing in Nova Scotia, which is the root cause of serious crimes that are terrorizing parts of our province.

Once again, I asked Minister Lebouthillier to prioritize enforcement of illegal fishing in our province, to ensure her conservation and protection officers are properly resourced and supported, and that her Department co-ordinate activities with the other relevant federal agencies to ensure there are no enforcement gaps.

While I was encouraged that the Minister was willing to meet, I remain in disbelief with the lack of meaningful actions brought to the table by the federal government and astounded that DFO continues to point to illegal cash sales as the issue at hand. She stated that this is a priority for her Department, but did not commit to any new resources.

We continue to hear directly from harvesters and harvester organizations that there is not enough enforcement on the water. This responsibility falls squarely on the federal Minister, and her unwillingness to prioritize actions to prevent illegal fishing is unmistakably the source of the problem.

The potential for this issue to escalate is real. Our communities need clear, decisive action, and we need it now. I’ve heard directly from fishers who have been threatened, had their property damaged, and who live in constant fear of repercussions for speaking out.

As a Province, we remain focused on our enforcement responsibilities, and will continue to prioritize action. We have increased maximum fines for illegal activities under our Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act. We have proactively corresponded with all licensed seafood buyers and processors and reminded them of our regulations. We continue to work with our Department of Natural Resources and Renewables’ conservation officers to increase inspections at local seafood facilities.

The Minister’s inaction continues to have real impacts on public safety, people’s livelihoods and the sustainability of our most valuable seafood resource. We continue to call for DFO to increase their on-the-water enforcement activities to preserve the sustainability of this resource and halt the illegal harvesting of lobsters.

Nova Scotians need the federal government to step up and to prioritize this issue now.