The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans cut this season’s spring herring quota for the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence almost in half — from approximately 9,000 tons in 2006 to 5,000 tons in 2007.
What made the announcement more newsworthy than it might have been, however, was the fact that the DFO move was made in response to a request by area fishermen.
“Fishermen here reported seeing almost no herring,” said Ed Frenette, executive director of the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA). “They actually saw about 1,900 tons.” He added that there have also been “small closures in certain bays.”
Frenette is aware that the quota reduction means hardship, especially for lobster fishermen who use herring as bait. “But the fact is that last year fishermen couldn’t even catch the quota that was allowed. Hard as this is right now, we have to look to the future, and if we don’t take these steps, there won’t be a future.”
Another sign of the times in the southern gulf was a report issued this spring by DFO asserting that the cod stocks continue to be extremely low. In mid June the DFO announced that the area cod quota had been cut in half.
Frenette added that a “sentinel” fishery being conducted shows no increase in stocks, “and some fishermen aren’t seeing any cod at all.”
In a related and more positive development, newly elected P.E.I, Liberal Premier Robert Ghiz reversed a decision by his Progressive Conservative predecessor and divided the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture into separate departments of Agriculture and Fisheries and Aquaculture.
The new Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister is Allan Campbell, who is himself a fisherman. He entered the fishery in 1988 working as a fisherman’s helper in the spring lobster season as his summer employment while attending the University of Prince Edward Island. Following the completion of his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1992, he purchased a fishing operation from a retiring fisherman and has been involved in the fishery ever since. His fishing career includes lobster, mackerel, herring, bluefin tuna, scallops, groundfish, dogfish and toad crab. He has also served a term on the small pelagic advisory committee with PEIFA.
Campbell is also a member of the Legislative Assembly.
For his part, Frenette welcomed the separation of departments. “Am I pleased? Absolutely, we’ve been pushing for this for years.”