Last week’s RCMP raid at a residence in southwestern Nova Scotia failed to uncover the anticipated drugs. However, law enforcement officials found approximately $50,000 worth of juvenile eels that had been improperly stored, according to assessments made by fisheries officers.
Police searched a home in Plympton, about 20 kilometres southwest of Digby, N.S., last Thursday as part of a drug trafficking investigation, according to an RCMP spokesperson. Officers arrested one man, but he was released without charges.
Police found no drugs, but did discover the tiny eels, known as elvers, along with some illegal tobacco. Fisheries officers were called in, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said 30 kilograms of elvers were seized.
One of several seizures recently conducted by various agencies, this incident is part of ongoing efforts. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) regularly provides updates about their actions in the profitable fishing industry. However, they face criticism from certain commercial license owners who think that officials aren’t taking sufficient measures.
This season, DFO attempted to manage the fishery following multiple years of unchecked illegal fishing activities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick rivers due to high demand from Asian markets. The caught elvers are transported alive to these regions and cultivated in aquaculture systems for consumption purposes.
Hundreds of inspections
The department implemented new rules designed to prevent the sale and illegal export of elvers. By Sunday, according to DFO, officers had conducted 907 riverbank checks, 104 examinations at holding sites, and 205 inspections at airports. Numerous arrests were made as a result.
However, numerous commercial license holders still voice concerns that fisheries officers are not addressing several reports of illegal fishing activities.
Stanley King from Atlantic Elver mentioned that the Ingram River west of Halifax is among the waterways managed by his company. Although the allocated quota for this river has been met, cameras along the banks indicate that individuals are still engaging in elver fishing.
He mentioned that he and several others have frequently contacted the DFO reporting line. Additionally, he had a telephone conversation with Noel d’Entremont, who is the director of conservation and protection for the Maritimes at the department, and expressed his worries during their talk.
Particularly worrisome, King said, is unauthorized fishing on the East River near Chester, N.S. The river is the site of a nearly three-decade elver monitoring study.
“It undermines the only scientific data that we have that supports the sustainability of our industry and, you know, informs us on the health of our stocks,” he said. “It’s incredibly important. There’s nothing else like it.”
Debra Buott-Matheson, a DFO spokesperson, said in an email that officers have made over 70 arrests this elver season for violations of fisheries laws.
However, she noted that there seems to be a “reduced degree of discontent” compared to earlier years when numerous threats and acts of violence led to shortened or entirely canceled seasons.
King acknowledged there has been less violence and fewer assaults this season, but he said there’s still been heated arguments along riverbanks between commercial fishermen and those without DFO authorization.
Over 140 rivers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have been designated for elver fishing, an activity conducted at night throughout spring. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) mentioned they’ve deployed extra personnel from different areas but did not disclose the exact number.
The department asserts that it indeed follows up on allegations of unlawful fishing activities; however, due to the extensive network of rivers involved, timely responses aren’t always possible. When conducting shoreline checks, officials request to see licenses from those harvesting resources and verify whether these individuals are operating within authorized waters, as stated by the department.
In many cases, enforcement actions remain unseen and might differ from what individuals anticipate,” Buott-Matheson stated in the email. “The fishing occurs predominantly during nighttime when it’s mostly dark outside. To monitor activities, fishery officers employ both open and discreet methods.
