Some federal fisheries officers in Nova Scotia say they're refusing some enforcement duties because of threats to their safety, as they await Ottawa's response to their complaints. Fishing boats, loaded with traps, head from port as the lobster season on Nova Scotia's South Shore begins, in West Dover, N.S., Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Fisheries officers in Nova Scotia are refusing to carry out certain enforcement tasks due to growing concerns over their safety, as they await a response from the federal government. The officers' union says members have faced life-threatening situations, including being shot at, attempted theft of their firearms, and threats directed at both the officers and their families for intervening in illegal fishing activities.
Shimen Fayad, president of the Union of Health and Environment Workers, stated in an email that the officers are exposed to automatic weapons, against which their current body armor provides no protection. She added that a federal labor investigator is reviewing documents from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and from officers who have refused some of their duties on the water and at wharves. A decision on the matter is expected next week.
While officers are raising safety concerns, commercial fishers are pushing for more rigorous enforcement. Dan Fleck, executive director of the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association, emphasized the need for action against illegal lobster fishing, which is on the rise throughout the Maritimes.
Under the Canada Labour Code, a federal investigation determines if there's a real danger to the officers. If no danger is found, employees are required to resume their work. Fayad noted that initial concerns brought to the government were dismissed, prompting the labor minister's current review.
Doug Wentzell, the federal Fisheries Department's regional manager for the Maritimes, acknowledged that some officers have refused to work in the field, but the majority are still actively on duty. Additional resources have been brought in from other regions to cover the shortage. A government source revealed that roughly half of the field officers in southwestern Nova Scotia, an area home to the region's most profitable lobster fishery, have ceased enforcement activities due to the risks involved.
The source, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation, said tensions between officers and fishers, including some Indigenous fishers, have escalated. Officers have been hit by vehicles, faced attempts to disarm them, and encountered physical confrontations.
The conflict extends to the spring elver fishing season, where attempts to regulate the baby eel fishery sparked tensions with First Nations communities. However, Chief Michelle Glasgow of Sipekne'katik First Nation refuted the narrative that Indigenous fishers were to blame, asserting that her community is exercising treaty rights to provide for their families. She called for respect from federal officers, accusing them of harassment.
Chief Wilbert Marshall of the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs condemned violence on the water and stressed the need for collaboration to prevent future conflicts. He emphasized the importance of building stronger relationships with DFO officers to create a safer working environment for all involved.
The situation recalls the violent flare-up of tensions in 2020, when Indigenous traps were destroyed, a boat was burned, and a lobster pound handling Mi’kmaq catches was set on fire.
RCMP Supt. Jason Popik, the senior officer for Southwest Nova, reported that DFO officers are still actively patrolling the waters near Meteghan, N.S., and two major enforcement operations have taken place recently. He noted that despite some refusals, enforcement efforts continue.
