A group representing commercial fishers in Nova Scotia says it plans to appeal after a court ruled it does not have standing to pursue a case involving Indigenous fishing rights.
The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance was asking the court to rule that members of the Sipekne’katik First Nation do not have a treaty right to fish lobster out of season without commercial licenses.
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It claimed the commercial fishery in Nova Scotia’s St. Mary’s Bay was unauthorized and unlawful and has had a detrimental impact on other fishers and lobster stocks.
Last month, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court dismissed the case, saying it’s up to Sipekne’katik — not the alliance — to decide if it wants to engage Ottawa over treaty rights.
Alliance President Colin Sproul says his group plans to appeal that decision.
Officials with Sipekne’katik and the federal attorney general’s office did not immediately provide comment.
“The Attorney General of Canada, should most certainly be submitting a reference question to the Supreme Court of Canada to settle this once and for all instead of forcing hard-working fishing families to spend their scarce dollars to get us here,” Sproul said in an interview.
Natives have a right to fish for food when it’s safe for them to do so. Where’s the scientific information proving that the Native fishery is detrimental?
They have no rights to commercial fishing. The treaties state they only get to hunt and fish out of season for food not for profits. There is a reason we so not fish during mating season. You would think people supposedly tied to the land would respect that. But natives arent real indigenous people’s anymore. I mean then cant even figure out how to supply themselves with clean drinking water.
We the Mik’maq people have all the Treaty rights over all resources on hower land it belongs to the Mik’maq not the white colonial people or the Government of Canada period
B.s.
You need to negotiate with the Indigenous peoples you dummy fishermen. Get some legal counseling.
The court is right, but don’t expect the LPC to have the fishers backs.
Another activist judge who needs to be more accountable for their lack of interest in pursuing justice
Good, cant regulate yourselfs to not over fish everything. Then someone will do it for you. Sick of the attitude they have towards things everyone else has to do legally, via permits and licenses and such.