N.S. First Nations to exercise right to moderate livelihood during upcoming lobster season – CBC

Nov 20, 2023

First Nations held 684 commercial fishing licences across many species by 2020

For the third consecutive year, four First Nations in southwestern Nova Scotia will exercise their treaty right to fish for a moderate living when Canada’s most lucrative lobster fishery opens next week.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced Monday that it has again issued an interim authorization to Wasoqopa’q (Acadia), Annapolis Valley, Bear River and Glooscap First Nations.

The “understanding” between DFO and the groups authorizes an overall number of 5,250 traps distributed across Lobster Fishing Areas (LFA) 33 and 34 which run from Halifax to Digby and LFA 35 in the upper Bay of Fundy, where there is a limit of 1,000 traps.

The authorization represents a 50 per cent increase from the previous year when DFO approved 3,500 traps for the bands in pursuit of a moderate livelihood lobster fishery.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/first-nations-moderate-livelihood-fishery-nova-scotia-1.7034437