Since July 19, some fishery officers in Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Maritimes Region have been refusing certain work, citing concerns for their safety.
“DFO respects the right of employees to refuse dangerous work, and we take reports of dangerous work seriously,” said DFO communications advisor Lauren Sankey.
“When an employee refuses work, based on dangerous working conditions, we are obligated to investigate any such report and are doing so expeditiously, in accordance with all relevant legislative obligations to employees,” said Sankey.
“While the investigation is underway, the Department continues enforcement work in accordance with the Fisheries Act. The Department is making every effort to minimize operational impacts,” said Sankey.
To maintain operational integrity, Sankey said DFO does not disclose the number of active fishery officers nor what specific enforcement activities they are undertaking.
Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Kent Smith has written his federal counterpart, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Diane Lebouthillier, expressing his “deep disappointment to the responses we received from you at the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers meeting in Charlottetown and your subsequent comments in media about enforcement of illegal fishing activity.”
Minister Smith said he is taking issue with comments made by Lebouthillier at the meeting and in subsequent interviews that she is “working with Nova Scotia” on enforcement.
“The illegal fishery has entrenched itself in the community of Clare and neighbouring area of Nova Scotia. The inability of DFO to prevent even a portion of the illegal and out of season harvesting of lobster in this region over the past years has enabled and emboldened the growth of organized crime that is terrorizing the community. I am hearing directly from fishers that have been threatened, that have had property damaged and that live in constant fear of repercussions for speaking out.”
Smith said there have been enforcement issues in other areas of the province as well, such as the elver fishery. “The lack of action of your department on the management and enforcement of illegal harvesting of elvers shut down the whole fishery in Atlantic Canada this spring, impacting hundreds of people employed in rural communities and removing tens of millions of dollars from the Nova Scotia economy.”
“I am demanding that you take this issue seriously and to make it the top priority of your department. Lack of action impacts public safety and the sustainability of our most valuable seafood resource. It also diverts tax revenues from both of our governments that can be reinvested in our communities. The presence of domestic Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fisheries in Canada damages our reputation as a supplier of sustainable seafood to the world and Canada’s credibility when advocating against other IUU fisheries. The implications of continued inaction could be catastrophic to our province and Atlantic Canada more broadly.”
Smith said he has instructed his team ”to step up inspection and compliance activities in the Clare region to ensure that our provincial regulations on illegal buying and processing of lobsters is being adhered to. However, as I have already repeatedly said, enforcement needs to start on the water with DFO. Lack of meaningful action on this front by DFO puts pressure on other
federal and provincial resources to fill the gaps.”
Smith is requesting a meeting with Minister Lebouthillier “and your team on this issue immediately.”
He said the letter “is not a criticism of the hard-working frontline enforcement officers at DFO and other enforcement agencies. They are experiencing these issues firsthand by recent refuse-to-work actions, do not feel supported by yourself and the senior management of your department. These officers live and work in the communities where these illegal activities take place and as such are themselves exposed to potentially threatening and unsafe situations while carrying out their duties and in their personal lives. They have a vested interest in real and meaningful action to prevent it. They should be adequately resourced and supported to do this difficult and extremely important job.”
