-CP-Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier has shelved a controversial proposal that would have shifted baby eel quota away from longtime licence holders to their employees. In December, Ottawa announced a “pilot project” to redistribute 27 per cent of the Maritime catch of about 10,000 kilograms of baby eels — known as elvers — from nine commercial licence holders to 120 people who would operate on their own. Each of the 120 recipients — who had previously worked for the commercial licence holders — would have gained the right to catch 22 kilograms of the translucent eels in rivers this spring. But a number of the fishers set to receive the quota spoke out against it, saying they prefer being employees and would feel less safe having to operate on their…
Register
