Right whale rules trap fishermen

The federal government’s decision to extend rules protecting right whales to lobster fishermen have sent waves of anxiety through the industry.

The fishermen were reacting not only to the poor timing of the decision – coming just days before the lobster season’s opening on May 1 – but, more urgently, the prospect that their livelihood may dwindle if a right whale is spotted near a fishing vessel.

Of course, the reasoning for these federal measures isn’t really at issue – no one is saying right whales shouldn’t be protected. The population saw 18 deaths in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the past year, largely due to vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.

The federal regulations would require fishermen to leave an area for a period of time if a right whale is spotted. Those fishermen would be able to fish in other areas until the closure is lifted after a minimum of 15 days. There are also restrictions around the amount of rope used and mandatory reporting of lost gear.

As of now, there are no contingencies in place should fishermen lose two or three weeks of their already short season.

And lest you think this is an industryonly issue, it has the potential to beach the provincial economies in a big way.

If fishermen can’t prosper with their catch, it means fewer jobs at processing facilities.

The effects trickle down from there, from the suppliers to lobster pounds to grocery stores, the tourism industry and eventually to all of us as consumers.

These concerns were raised to P.E.I. Fisheries Minister Robert Henderson last week in the legislature, while the restrictions also prompted an emergency meeting Friday between the Maritime Fishermen’s Union and federal Fisheries Minister Dominic Leblanc.

Options could include extending the season – though it’s not exactly clear how well this would work, considering the traditional times were chosen because they were prime for lobster.

Another contingency could be compensation for fishermen who lose a significant portion of their season. While it won’t do much to compensate for the lack of landings, it would at least be a stopgap for the fishermen until a more workable solution can be found.

Let’s hope the provincial and federal ministers heed the calls about these regulations and work toward a compromise with fishermen and scientists.

If not, it may not be only the North Atlantic right whale that’s in jeopardy – the lobster fishery could be an endangered species, too.