{"id":561532,"date":"2026-03-26T06:59:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T06:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561532\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T06:59:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T06:59:30","slug":"ottawa-raises-catch-limit-for-juvenile-eels-in-the-maritimes-but-complaints-linger-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561532\/","title":{"rendered":"Ottawa raises catch limit for juvenile eels in the Maritimes, but complaints linger"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ottawa has increased the allowable catch for juvenile eels by 22 per cent this year, citing evidence of a healthy population and the success of last year\u2019s relatively peaceful season in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.<\/p>\n

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The fishery for young American eels, known as elvers, was shut down in 2024 after illegal fishing driven by soaring prices led to violence and arrests on many rivers.<\/p>\n

Last year, the federal Fisheries Department announced new possession and export regulations aimed at improving management of the fishery, which saw buyers paying as much as $5,000 per kilogram a few years ago.<\/p>\n

As well, Ottawa confirmed in 2025 that 50 per cent of the allowable catch would be redistributed from non-Indigenous commercial fishers to First Nations entering the fishery for the first time to seek a moderate livelihood.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTensions resurface in Maritime elver fishery\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The tiny, glass-like eels \u2014 less than 10 centimetres long \u2014 were selling for about $1,500 per kilogram last year.<\/p>\n

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When the season opens on April 1, the eels will be caught in nets and shipped live to Asia, where they will be raised in aquaculture facilities for food.<\/p>\n

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The 22 per cent quota increase, announced Wednesday during a virtual news conference, will raise the catch limit to 12,180 kilograms, an increase partly based on scientific data gleaned from one Nova Scotia river, the East River near Chester on the province\u2019s southwest shore.<\/p>\n

As well, a federal official said \u201celectrofishing\u201d is also used to monitor the eels, referring to a method that uses small electric shocks in the water to temporarily stun the eels so they can be counted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2025, having implemented the new regulations \u2026 we did see a more orderly fishery than previous years,\u201d said Jennifer Ford, the federal Fisheries Department\u2019s director of resource management for the Maritimes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat does give us some confidence that as we go forward, we will likely see lower levels of unauthorized harvesting than we\u2019d seen in some previous years as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, about 55 per cent of the catch will be fished by 700 First Nations harvesters. Commercial fishers will be allowed to catch the remaining 45 per cent.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, some non-Indigenous commercial fishers have complained the system has been undermined by some First Nations unwilling to follow the rules.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis raises questions about how reporting compliance, traceability and enforcement are being applied,\u201d Stanley King, manager of Nova Scotia-based Atlantic Elver Fishery, said in an email.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the system lacks deterrents, it\u2019s likely other licence-holders will also stop reporting and fishing within their assigned quotas.\u201d<\/p>\n

King has also accused the Fisheries Department of failing to properly deal with illegal fishing in general, an accusation the department has denied.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommercial fishers reported very low response rates to real-time reports of illegal fishing activity in 2025,\u201d said King, who has sent video images to Ottawa allegedly showing illegal fishing.<\/p>\n

Atlantic Elver Fishery was among the group of commercial licence-holders who lost half their quota to Indigenous fishers without compensation from the federal government.<\/p>\n

Last May, some Mi\u2019kmaq harvesters told The Canadian Press that their decision to work within Ottawa\u2019s new regulations had helped calm the once-tense atmosphere on the tidal rivers that support elvers.<\/p>\n

Still, a Fisheries Department official confirmed Wednesday that 65 people had been charged with offences related to elver fishing in 2025. As well, eight people were convicted or ticketed. And more than $23,000 in fines were handed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding on the increased compliance and order observed last year, fishery officers will continue to work with harvesters towards voluntary compliance with the Fisheries Act,\u201d Noel d\u2019Entremont, director of conservation and protection, told the virtual news conference.<\/p>\n

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As well, he said more fishery officers will be brought in this year to ensure compliance, as was the case in previous years.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though we\u2019re bringing in extra fishery officers across the region, we have hundreds of rivers that we\u2019re responsible for,\u201d d\u2019Entremont said. \u201cWe try to respond to as many complaints as we get. The unfortunate part is we cannot be everywhere at all times.\u201d<\/p>\n

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