Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment Chester Gillan pressed the case of North Cape area lobster fishers with his federal counterpart during a meeting of the Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers in Halifax today.
Minister Gillan called on Minister Robert Thibault to find an immediate interim resolution to the situation that saw a group of North Cape area fishers receive illegal fishing warnings when they returned to their traditional fishing grounds this season.
"Today's meeting provided a good opportunity to raise the issue with Mr. Thibault and to stress the fact that PEI fishers have been setting their traps in this area for decades and deserve the opportunity to return to their traditional fishing grounds before the lobster season ends," said Minister Gillan.
"We recognize that it will take more discussion and more time to reach a long-term resolution to the boundary line issue, however, the Federal Minister must take action on an interim basis to allow PEI fishers access to their traditional fishing grounds."
The disputed area is approximately five miles off North Cape and some 90 miles from the Îles de la Madeleine, however, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has said it is in Quebec waters.
In other items from Tuesday's meeting, Minister Gillan said Provincial and Territorial Ministers received an update on two key policy initiatives that will impact the future of the Atlantic fishery: the Atlantic Fisheries Policy Review (AFPR) and the Independent Panel on Access Criteria (IPAC).
The Panel has been reviewing decision-making criteria for providing new or additional access to Atlantic commercial fisheries which have undergone a substantial increase in resource abundance or landed value; and to new or emerging fisheries. Ministers at the ACFAM meeting discussed the IPAC report released this spring and provided feedback on its recommendations.
"In particular, I took advantage of this opportunity to once again stress the need for fairness and equity when it comes to access to the Atlantic fisheries resources," said Minister Gillan. "In the past, Prince Edward Island has experienced inadequate access to several major resources, particularly shrimp and snow crab. I am pleased that the Panel has recognized equity as an overarching principle in access decision making."
The work of the IPAC is a component of the broader and more comprehensive Atlantic Fisheries Policy Review. The aim of the AFPR is to develop a policy framework that identifies objectives and directions for the sustainable management of the Atlantic fisheries resource. Ministers received an update on the review Tuesday and had an opportunity to discuss progress.
"I once again emphasized the points of importance to our industry in Prince Edward Island, particularly the owner-operator policy and the requirement to continue that policy," said Minister Gillan.