Frustration mounting over unauthorized lobster fishing in southwestern Nova Scotia

Some fishermen and politicians in Nova Scotia are expressing mounting frustration over the scale of unauthorized lobster fishing in the southwestern part of the province.

Frustration is mounting as some fishermen and politicians in Nova Scotia speak out about the scale of unauthorized lobster fishing in the southwestern part of the province.

In an interview Tuesday, Colin Sproul, of the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance, called the current situation in St. Marys Bay, near Digby, N.S., "outrageous" and dismissed reports of enforcement by federal fishery officials as "patently untrue."

"There is an industrial level commercial fishery taking place in St. Marys Bay," said Sproul, although he wouldn't say for certain by whom.

Sproul didn't mince words, however, about what he said was a lack of enforcement by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

"The real question here is, does the Canadian government have the intent to enforce existing Canadian fishery policy and law," he asked. "The view in fishing and coastal communities in Nova Scotia is, absolutely not."

St. Marys Bay was the scene of confrontation in September 2020 when the Sipekne'katik First Nation started a pioneering self-regulated lobster fishery that ran outside the commercial season. Heightened tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers resulted in confrontations on the water and riots at two lobster pounds, one of which was later burned down in a deliberately set fire.

Fishery officials with Sipekne'katik First Nation could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but they have long asserted their treaty right to make a moderate living from fishing.