Tip of the Iceburg

I was speaking to Josephine Burke-Kennedy today. She represents the Multi-Species License Holders in Eastern Cape Breton and has worked tirelessly to rid the Scotia Fundy waters of mid-water trawllers. The trawllers fished in her region in 2006 and 2007 on a Joint-Project Agreement, which is an agreement between the trawllers and DFO Science. Josephine and her group were finally successful in getting the DFO to cancel the agreement late this summer, so the trawllers have moved into our waters.

Josephine spoke to Michelle Brazil in Loyola Hearn's office in Ottawa last week. Ms Brazil is Loyola's Special Assistant for the Atlantic Region. In conversation with Josephine she confirmed that the Minister Hearn is allowing mid-water trawllers in the Gulf Region this year as a look and see. And if the fishery takes off, he will allow the other seiners to transfer their licenses to mid-water trawllers as well!

Just what we need - more MWT's! And there are plenty of them for lease in Europe, so getting ahold of a few more is not a problem for the Barry Group.

Once again, DFO is looking out for corporate interests with no consideration for inshore fishers, the environment, the eco-system or the herring stocks.

Support is Growing

Thanks to the folks at the Environmental Coalition of PEI for hearing our call. They sent a letter to our Minister of Fisheries asking him to recind his decision to allow trawlers to fish in the Gulf.

And the Green Party of Canada issued a release on the subject as well. Leader of the Green Party, Elizabeth May said, “His decision shows complete disregard for the integrity of the marine ecosystem and throws the precautionary principle to the wind. Atlantic herring play a critical role in the marine ecosystem as a major food source for larger fish, whales, and other marine mammals. Their decimation will impact all species and further degrade Atlantic biodiversity.” The whole release is below.

http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/23.10.2007b

Take a minute to send your own letter to the Minister!

Herring Video

Here is a video from Yahoo News about the declining herring stocks in the Gulf of Maine. It shows mid-water trawlers fishing as well as off-loading.

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1102219189&fr=yvmtf

Photos of Mid-water Trawlers in Action

Here are some pictures of mid-water trawls in action in the Gulf of Maine. Both of these shots are of pair trawlers - you'll see in one shot, they are heading directly toward a tuna boat. The other shot is a by-catch of whiting that they simply dumped. There are more pictures and information on the American groundfisher's fight against mid-water trawlers.

http://herringalliance.org/

We're not the only ones who don't like trawlers!

Fishers in the Gulf of Maine are also trying to get rid of mid-water trawlers. Two fishing groups have recently taken legal action. This article talks about the destruction mid-water trawlers have caused in the Gulf of Maine.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20071011/pl_usnw/fishermen_seek_to_ban_herring_trawlers_from_groundfish_hotspots

Send a Letter to the Editor

Want to write a Letter to the Editor about the Mid-water Trawlers and the Purse Seiners. We need as many people as possible to send letters.

The Guardian
letters@theguardian.pe.ca
fax: 566-3808

The Eastern Graphic
eastgraphic@islandpress.pe.ca
fax: 838-4392

Letter for Concerned Citizens to send to Hearn

Here is a letter you can send to the Minister of Fisheries to express your outrage over the decision to allow mid-water trawlers to fish in the gulf. Simply cut and paste into your email program. Be sure to add your name to the bottom of the letter.

Loyola Hearn
Room 441-S,Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Hearn,

I am writing to you today to encourage you to reconsider your decision to allow Mid-water trawlers to fish in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. As a resident of ______, the sustainability of our economy and environment depends upon healthy herring stocks. Herring is the backbone of the ecosystem and as such Canadian citizen all rely on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to properly manage the herring fishery. This is necessary to ensure the vitality of the herring fishery as well as the entire eco-system in the gulf.

I believe the decision to allow these trawlers to fish in the gulf is putting the eco-system in jeopardy. Research has shown that schools of herring disturbed by mid-water trawl fishing gear quickly regain their school structure (even after large reductions in the available biomass are made) making them especially vulnerable to repeated tows. The midwater vessels also have forward looking sonars which allows efficient and cost effective tracking and catching of relatively small schools of fish. This efficiency, along with issues surrounding by-catch, is incompatible with sustainable fishing practises.

As minister in charge of Fisheries and Oceans, it is of utmost importance that you act now before it is too late. Please reverse your decision to allow mid-water trawlers to destroy the fishery in the gulf. Failing that, I ask that you or some of your staff at DFO Moncton to hold a public meeting on PEI to explain the rationale for this decision. I would appreciate your prompt action regarding this decision.

Sincerely,

(((((((((((((Add your name Here))))))))))))))))