Residents Push to Close Fisheries

Chéticamp resident Yvette McPhee has close ties with the fishing industry. Her husband works as a fisherman’s helper and several family members are employed at the local crab processing plant. But along with a group of organized citizens, McPhee has been writing letters to government officials, demanding the closure of the fisheries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The community group fears that because fishers work in close range, in a constantly wet environment, it would be impossible for them to respect social distancing measures and to take care of personal protective equipment.  “We all have that common goal,” said McPhee, “is to not see this virus move into our community and destroy it.”

Fishing is one of economic drivers in the rural community of Chéticamp. About 900 people from the area worked in the fisheries in 2018, about 18% of the population. Seven-hundred-and-fifty-nine people worked as self-employed fishers in 2018 and over 100 at the local processing plant. Not to mention the out of province fishers and plant workers that will come with the opening of the crab season, set for this coming Friday April 24.

Besides safety, fishers worry they won’t have a market where to sell their product. In 2018, Nova Scotia exported over $2 billion worth of seafood - with its biggest markets, the U.S. ($984 million), China ($524 million) and the E.U. ($197 million) now blocked due to the global pandemic. Many industry members say there isn’t even a local market for lobster, since it’s usually sold at casinos, cruises and restaurants.

The Gulf Nova Scotia Fishermen’s Coalition, representing lobster harvesters in the region, also advocates for the closure of the fishery. Because of the seasonal nature of the trade, the association wants an aid package that would cover fishers for the whole year instead of the 4 months offered by the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

“We have formed a sub-committee,” said Coalition president Leonard LeBlanc, “and have been dialoguing with P.E.I. and New Brunswick to see what possible package we can put together that would fit within the programs that the federal and provincial governments have now, and see if there is an option other than fishing.”

Although Minister Bernadette Jordan has yet to announce a decision on the lobster season, Cape Breton-Canso MP Mike Kelloway says a variety of options are being explored. “What I’m hearing, not so much from the minister, but from the LFAs [Lobster Fishing Areas] around the riding, is that many LFAs are putting in extensions to push the year back,” he said. “When it comes to the minister, I’ve read now, two rather detailed letters written to her … in terms of recommendations … other measures that I think would be helpful to the fishery for those who want to fish, for those that for health reasons and economic reasons would like to have an option to not to fish. I’ve sent that both to the Minister of Fisheries and the Minister of Health and they’ve both acknowledged the letters.”