Federal fisheries proposal would slash commercial elver quota in 2025

Commercial elver fishers in the Maritimes are dismissing new quotas for the 2025 season, saying they would significantly cut their share of the lucrative baby eel fishery. In a letter obtained by The Canadian Press, the federal Fisheries Department said Thursday it wants to hand 50 per cent of the total allowable catch — 4,980 kilograms — to First Nations fishers. However, in a potentially contentious move, the department is proposing that another 28 per cent of the allowable catch — 2,812 kilograms — should go to a new pilot project. The department’s plan calls for distributing that 28 per cent among people who are already involved in the fishery, including those who are working for commercial elver fishing enterprises. That means the nine existing commercial licence holders will be…

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