ALBERTON, P.E.I. — A Department of Fisheries and Oceans decision to open the snow crab fishery in Crab Fishing Areas 12 and 12E at one minute after midnight Thursday morning is not sitting well with the president of the P.E.I. Snow Crab Fishermen’s Association.
“We won’t be going, not by the forecast right now,” said Carter Hutt whose association represents 27 fishermen from P.E.I.
Along with fisherman representatives from New Brunswick and Quebec, Hutt was on a conference call with DFO Monday morning.
Hutt said the Island fishermen, as well as native groups from New Brunswick and Quebec, argued against making a decision without another weather call, suggesting the weather conditions were not suitable for setting gear. He felt they were out-numbered by the larger boats that make up New Brunswick and Quebec’s mid-shore fleets.
What rankles him is the knowledge that ice conditions around P.E.I. were good enough by mid-April for the P.E.I. fleet to hit the water but the season was delayed because ice was preventing New Brunswick fishermen in Shippagan and Caraquet from launching their crab boats.
When the conference call broke up Monday morning, Hutt was expecting to hear DFO’s decision within an hour, and he was fairly certain the department would err on the side of caution and schedule another conference call for Tuesday.
Instead, he got word close to 6 p.m. that the department had decided on a 00:01 opening Thursday morning.
The decision contains a reminder for fishermen to exercise caution as navigation buoys may not all be in place.
“Furthermore, it is reminded that, during the period where fishing is authorized, it is the responsibility of the licence holder to take into account the marine safety notices issued, among others, by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Transport Canada, as well as the standards and best practices in marine safety and to take all measures to ensure a safe fishery,” the notice to fish harvesters said.
With a forecast for strong northwest wind on Wednesday, Hutt says the 20-knot rule must have been ignored for the department to allow a Thursday opening. He said the conference call was conducted primarily in French, but when they asked for translation they were told some fishermen were requesting the 20-knot rule be removed.
There had been seven ice-related conference calls during which some members of the Area 12 fleet, including the P.E.I. fleet, wanted the season opened, but Hutt said they were reminded of a fisheries minister’s decision in January that everyone should start at the same time. He now believes Monday’s decision gives the larger boats a head start.
