First Nation baby eel quota could get big boost, a huge loss for commercial ops

By John Chilibeck  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 19/06/2024  Ottawa is considering the idea of giving half of the annual quota for lucrative baby eels in the Maritimes to First Nations, a massive change that would shake up the industry. A Wolastoqey chief welcomed the news, but an industry representative called it “shocking,” arbitrary and unfair. If the proposal goes ahead, it will not include any taxpayer-funded compensation for the industry. In a June 10 letter obtained by Brunswick News, Jacinta Berthier, a regional director with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, or DFO, told commercial harvesters in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that her federal department is “considering redistribution of quota to increase First Nations participation in the elver fishery and support fishing in pursuit of a moderate livelihood.” Elver…

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