Prince Edward Island Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Allan Campbell has expressed major concerns about the decision to allow two mid-water trawls to fish herring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Earlier this week, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced that two large seine license holders could fish herring with a mid-water trawl in an area known as 4T.
“The use of mid-water trawlers has the potential to devastate the herring and other fisheries and flies in the face of the need to protect the sustainability of the resource,” said Mr. Campbell. “I am disappointed that DFO Minister Loyola Hearn has appeared to put politics ahead of science, and corporate interests ahead of common sense.”
Mr. Campbell said that other jurisdictions are moving away from trawling, and this decision could have a devastating impact on fish stocks. He said that there are outstanding questions about the spring and fall herring biomass stocks, and the use of mid-water trawls could put the entire fishery at risk.
“Increasing the fishing effort at a time when there are concerns about the state of the resource makes no sense,” said Mr. Campbell. “Industrial fishing practices have decimated other species such as the Northern cod, and we don’t want to see a further repetition of that tragedy.”
Mr. Campbell said he has been unable to contact Mr. Hearn to express the grave concerns of Island fishers in this matter, and expressed his disappointment that no consultations took place before the decision was made. “I hope that he will listen to reason and reverse this very controversial decision,” he said.