By Brian Lee
Anyone who spends much time on the water can tell you that now, more than ever, the enforcement of fisheries regulations is perilously lacking. In July, my neighbour and I witnessed about 30 people get dropped off on the Skardon Islands to pick shellfish. That same neighbour was visiting friends at the Painted Boat that afternoon when they returned with countless buckets of oysters. They may all have carried fishing licences but we’ll never know because nobody is checking.
Last month, MP John Weston and MLA Nicholas Simons met with a cross-section of concerned locals about fisheries management. Specifically, the meeting had much to do with the recent closure of DFO’s Madeira Park office and the reassignment of two fisheries enforcement officers as part of the fed’s "Deficit Reduction Action Plan." But it was also an opportunity for anyone concerned about fisheries and marine habitat to ask questions and provide our elected officials with background on local issues. Concerns included the costly and time-consuming licensing system for commercial fishermen, the potential for poaching in the absence of enforcement, the threatened Sakinaw sockeye, difficulties in navigating DFO’s website to purchase sports fishing licences and so on.
Since fisheries are a federal designation, Mr. Weston fielded much of the discussion. His experience in molding a tangential discussion like this into practical talking points to form a brief for the federal fisheries minister was impressive. To paraphrase Weston:
"We’re not going to see the office reopen tomorrow. So let’s be wily about how we get around the problem to find a practical solution."
I believe Mr. Weston was sincere in wanting to help but much of his "wilyness" involved promoting the concept of volunteer stewards who would be the eyes on the ground to protect local fish stocks. It makes perfect sense — much of the heavy lifting in our community is already handled by volunteers. But I would guess that even if most had more time to volunteer than they already do, they might resent the assumption that it’s now their responsibility to protect a federal resource.
As a commercial fisherman pointed out, the two DFO officers formerly stationed here knew many of the boats they encountered. They knew who the poachers are and where it was likely to take place. And it’s not just poaching. Spotty enforcement will not deter those who "legally" sports fish prawns but sell them illegally back on land.
Weston stressed it would be an uphill battle, but if we persevere and stay committed to fighting for it, then we may receive some satisfaction. Fair enough, but while we toil to get back that which shouldn’t have been taken away in the first place, our fishery resources are threatened at a time when they are just showing signs of creeping back to health.
And while we shelve other community needs to mobilize efforts to regain a fisheries presence in the area, are we expected to overlook the fact that Mr. Weston’s Conservative government created this problem in the first place?