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Provincial Fisheries Minister Ron Chisholm wants Ottawa to move its new fisheries law along, although some critics warn it could send independent fisherman packing and ease environmental standards.
Mr. Chisholm said in a news release Wednesday that the new Fisheries Act would be tougher on illegal fisheries and would allow for partnerships between Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the provinces. The current act is more than 130 years old.
But some Nova Scotia fishermen and opposition politicians are fighting the proposed new law. A group of them held a news conference in Halifax two weeks ago and said the new legislation would lead to big companies holding more licences, leave an uncertain future for young people wanting to get into the industry and do little or nothing for fish habitat and conservation.
Provincial NDP fisheries critic Sterling Belliveau said the biggest problem with the new act is that it’s vague and that the federal government should consult fishermen before taking the legislation any further.
“They want to have a clear message,” Mr. Belliveau said. “They want a guiding principle that these licences are going to be left to transfer to the next generations, to their younger fishermen. That’s just one example.”
He said he was also surprised that Mr. Chisholm’s release came before an all-party committee meeting, scheduled for next week, to talk about the act.
Mr. Chisholm said fishermen would have a chance to have their say as the new act makes its way through Parliament.
“There are concerns, but most are based on a lack of detail about what the new act will do, or misinformation,” he said. “If the act goes to second reading, there will be time for input through the fisheries standing committee.”
( djackson@herald.ca)
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