Chris d'Entremont, MP for West Nova. Image: submitted.
Conservative MP’s in Nova Scotia say it was ‘short-sighted’ of DFO to close the elver fishery.
The department announced the 45-day shutdown Saturday due to conservation and safety issues.
West Nova MP Chris d’Entremont says those who have a license to fish the baby eels are the ones who miss out.
“DFO had to really step up their protection, and they didn’t do it. In order to stop the madness that was happening on the rivers, they had to shut it down completely. That’s not fair to our quota holders,” said d’Entremont.
He adds DFO should have been prepared for poachers.
“The Conservation and Protection branch had to be there, but they weren’t this time, or were unable to get any kind of calm happening on the rivers.”
South Shore-St. Margarets MP Rick Perkins calls the decision ‘blatantly wrong,’ and says it unfairly impacts hard-working, law-abiding Canadians.
He wondered why Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray would think poachers would follow the 45-day ban.
1/5 Effective April 15, 2023, the elver fishery in NS & NB is immediately closed for 45 days due to conservation and safety concerns. All elver harvesting is now prohibited and subject to enforcement action.
— DFO Maritimes (@DFO_MAR) April 15, 2023
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