Nova Scotia Lobster Fishermen Fed Up with Mis-Communication By DFO

YARMOUTH, NS, April 19, 2018 /CNW/ - Lobster fishermen in Southwestern, Nova Scotia are frustrated and disappointed with the lack of direction, mis-communication, and overall support from Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) regional management. Five separate fishermen's associations joined forces in 2017 to form the Southwest Lobster Science Society (SWLSS) to work towards a partnership-based approach to fisheries management and conservation; a move which was touted to be a historic partnership between industry, environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) and regulators. Yet, the newly formed partnership has struggled to move forward as the regulators (DFO) will not make definitive decisions on critical issues in a timely fashion preventing the SWLSS from moving forward.

In 2017, DFO announced that an at-sea observer program to monitor bycatch in the lobster fishery was being implemented for the fall of 2018. In response to DFO's announcement, the SWLSS offered fishermen throughout the region an alternative at-sea observer plan which would not only collect supplementary scientific data to assist in conservation efforts but would do so without enforcing a 'hail out' procedure which is commonly enforced in other fisheries. The hail out system requires fishermen to phone an automated system at least six hours prior to leaving the wharf.  The six-hour advance notice would create havoc for lobster fishermen as they already contend with two major determining factors for fishing: the weather and the tides. Despite all efforts to work collaboratively with DFO, the SWLSS continues to be led astray on the bycatch monitoring framework and enforcement. 

"We have been presented with endless obstacles and needless confusion created solely by DFO regional management when our intentions were simply to offer fishermen in Southwestern, Nova Scotia a better, less cumbersome option to the hail out observer procedures. The industry-led by-catch monitoring project had the potential to be a springboard to a co-management regime in the future. Partners need to make timely decisions for ventures like this to work" said Bernie Berry, President of SWLSS.

The SWLSS has met all of the scientific and planning requirements for their industry-led at-sea observer program which were clearly outlined within their business plan. Discussions of industry overseeing the bycatch monitoring program began last August with several meetings with DFO regional management offering guidance and incentive. 

The SWLSS was surprised and concerned last month when they were informed by DFO regional management that the 'hail out' system for the bycatch monitoring program being offered by DFO would in fact be applied but under a "modified frequency". The SWLSS's membership is left to question what this frequency will look like and how it would be enforced. The SWLSS necessitates clear direction from DFO on what the alternative plan for the bycatch monitoring project is before we can move forward.

"This initiative [SWLSS project] is the best deal for fishermen, regulators and the ocean. Regretfully, due to a lack of good faith and transparency by regulators we can no longer make informed decisions in the best interests of our members. We are grateful for the encouragement we've received from the conservation community. We remain hopeful that we will move forward together in the future." said Colin Sproul.

SOURCE Southwest Lobster Science Society

SWLSS's President Bernie Berry at 902-742-6325, [email protected]; SWLSS Director Colin Sproul at 902-247-5458, [email protected]