Fishery officers make arrests and seizures at rivers for unauthorized elver fishing

From: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

News release

March 11, 2024

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - Unauthorized fishing is a threat to the sustainability of fish stocks and undermines the livelihoods of law-abiding fish harvesters. The elver fishery is not open for 2024 in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, therefore any harvesting is unauthorized. Should anyone choose to fish for elver they will be subject to enforcement action as per the Fisheries Act and the Maritime Provinces Fishery Regulations.

On March 6 and 7, 2024 in separate incidents across Southwest Nova Scotia, fishery officers arrested and later released a total of five individuals who are under investigation for infractions of the Fisheries Act and Maritimes Provinces Fishery Regulations for the unauthorized harvest of elver. Fishery officers also seized a total of two vehicles, one fyke net, eight dip nets, elver fishing equipment and approximately 1.14 kg of elver, which were released live back into their river of origin.

Fishery officers are patrolling rivers, facilities and export points to deter and disrupt unauthorized elver harvest, sale and export from the region. Fishery officers also continue to work with other law enforcement agencies to combat the illegal harvest, sale and export of elver as well as threats to public safety and criminal activity. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) reminds all harvesters that unauthorized fishing and violence will not be tolerated, as this undermines sustainable fisheries management in Canada.

Anyone who has information on suspected unauthorized elver fishing, purchasing, or selling, is encouraged to call 1-800-565-1633 and dial option 6, or to contact their local Conservation and Protection detachment. 

Quick facts

  • DFO continues to work on the management changes necessary to provide a sustainable and orderly elver fishery for all harvesters. Until these measures are fully in place, the Minister has made the decision not to issue licences in 2024 and, as such, to not open the elver fishery.  

  • Ongoing work related to regulating the possession and export of elver, changes to how the fishery is managed and the distribution of access to Indigenous harvesters are key to promoting compliance in this fishery. These changes will also support deterrence and prosecution for non-compliance in the courts.

  • Over 80 charges have been laid to-date in relation to unauthorized elver fishing in 2023 and DFO is working to conclude a number of ongoing active investigations. As a result of hundreds of patrols and inspections in 2023, investigations continue on other charges, which if prosecuted may result in convictions.

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Contacts

Jeremy Collard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Jeremy.Collard@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Maritimes Region Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
902-407-8439
Media.MaritimesRegion@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 

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