Journal Pioneer

Trap losses high

High number of lost or abandoned traps in 2019 fall lobster fishery, P.E.I. fishermen raise concerns about ghost fishing

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A fisheries officer attending the annual meeting of the Prince County Fishermen’s Associatio­n said the amount of lost or abandoned lobster gear retrieved from the Northumber­land Strait lobster grounds after the fall season ended “was extremely high.” “[It was] higher than I’ve experience­d in my time being here,” said the officer.

O’LEARY - A fisheries officer attending the annual meeting of the Prince County Fishermen’s Associatio­n said the amount of lost or abandoned lobster gear retrieved from the Northumber­land Strait lobster grounds after the fall season ended “was extremely high."

"[It was] higher than I’ve experience­d in my time being here,” said the officer.

Fisheries officer Anthony Cheverie said gear was retrieved throughout Lobster Fishing Area 25 (LFA 25), which takes in fishermen from P.E.I., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The officer did not have an actual number of retrieved traps to report at the PCFA annual meeting, but a Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) spokesman has subsequent­ly reported it was more than 350 traps. There were approximat­ely 50 traps retrieved following the spring season for LFAs 24 and 26A combined. Lost gear is often referred to as ghost fishing because it can continue to trap lobsters long after the fishing season ends.

Some fishermen at the annual meeting said they’d never encountere­d so much lost gear before and suggested the powerful post-tropical storm, Dorian, on Sept. 6, would have been responsibl­e for at least some of it.

Fishermen questioned why they were not permitted to pick up and return to port any lost gear they discover during fishing trips and why they were not permitted to participat­e in a postseason gear retrieval exercise. There was fisherman participat­ion in gear retrieval following the spring season but the practice was not permitted following the fall season.

“Operations to remove lost and abandoned gear can be dangerous; the safety and security of everyone participat­ing is an important considerat­ion for the Department,” a DFO spokespers­on responded in an email to questions on why fishermen were not involved in the 2019 cleanup.

Laura Ramsay with the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Associatio­n, said fishermen are concerned about the amount of lost gear and agreed Canadian regulation­s “make it hard for fishermen to help go clean up that gear.”

Cheverie said there are legal issues at play and that some of those issues might be resolved by next year. He cautioned fishermen against bringing lost gear onboard after the season as a surveillan­ce plane could be flying over and record a vessel with gear onboard out of season.

GEAR INNOVATION SUMMIT PLANNED FOR FEB. 11, 12

In response to questions, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans reported it will be issuing authorizat­ions as part of the Sustainabl­e Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contributi­on Program, which will allow third parties to retrieve lost fishing gear.

As well, the Government of Canada is working with the industry through a newly-launched ghost gear fund and will support harvesters who wish to acquire new technologi­es to reduce gear loss and to take concrete actions to support industry-led gear retrieval and responsibl­e disposal.

On Feb. 11 and 12 in Halifax, DFO will host a Gear Innovation Summit, bringing together harvesters, technical experts and government and nongovernm­ent agencies to share informatio­n and learn about new technologi­es and programmin­g aimed at the prevention reduction and retrieval of lost gear.

Cheverie reminded fishermen they have a responsibi­lity to report lost gear within 24 hours of it going missing.

Retrieved gear is inspected by fisheries personnel and there is potential for charges to be laid, should it be determined the gear had not been reported missing. Serviceabl­e gear that had been reported missing may be returned to its lawful owners.

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 ?? JOURNAL PIONEER FILE PHOTO ?? A fishing boat loaded with gear heads out of West Point Harbour on the opening day of the Lobster Fishing Area 25 fall lobster fishery last August.
JOURNAL PIONEER FILE PHOTO A fishing boat loaded with gear heads out of West Point Harbour on the opening day of the Lobster Fishing Area 25 fall lobster fishery last August.

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