(Saulnirville) The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced that its officials have seized 70 lobster nets in an area in southwestern Nova Scotia where fishermen from the Sipecan’aatic First Nation run a self-regulated fishery. conduct follow-up.
The news comes after First Nation Chief Mike Sack was arrested and questioned by fisheries officials on Monday as his community began fishing for lobster ahead of the start of the federally regulated season.
Members of the Sipekne’katik First Nation say a 1999 Supreme Court decision of Canada has upheld their treaty right to fish, allowing them to fish for lobster whenever and wherever they want.
Department spokeswoman Debbie Buot-Matheson did not confirm Thursday whether the nets seized last week were from First Nation fishermen.
She said federal agents removed the traps for a variety of reasons, including inappropriate and unauthorized tags.
Mr Sack was not available for comment on Thursday, but he has already said Ottawa’s treatment of fishermen in his community equated to systemic racism.
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