Tensions rise on Nova Scotia river as Indigenous eel fishers reject Ottawa rules – Halifax | Globalnews.ca

Two commercial fishers harvesting baby eels under new federal rules say they felt they had to stop fishing on Sunday night when a large group of Indigenous fishers arrived on the river and set up their nets.

Suzy Edwards, an employee of Atlantic Elver Fishery, said one of the fishers told her he was from Sipekne’katik First Nation and they were making a statement that they don’t accept Ottawa’s recently imposed system that distributed the quota for the lucrative catch.

Under the system, the licence holders — including the 20 First Nations who were new entrants — are given quotas based on how many people live in their communities.

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Ottawa decided last year that half of the allowed catch of 9,950 kilograms held by long-standing commercial licence holders would be transferred — without compensation — to First Nations.

Edwards and her fishing partner Alan MacHardy say that under the new system the company she works for has retained the federal licence to work on the Hubbards River, but they felt they had to remain in their truck after the First Nations group arrived and no federal enforcement officials came.

In a recent letter sent to the federal Fisheries Department, Chief Bob Gloade of Millbrook First Nation said Sipekne’katik has joined with his First Nation to assert their jurisdiction and create their own elver fishing plans, which includes their right to choose which rivers to fish.

Chief Michelle Glasgow of Sipekne’katik did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2025.