Department of Fisheries and Oceans Archives

Sipekne’katik First Nation sues federal government for seizing lobster traps

July 28, 2023 Maureen Googoo

The Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia is suing the federal government over treaty right infringement after officers with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans seized lobster traps belonging to its band members. Sipekne’katik alleges […]

NS Mi’kmaw leaders link lack of DFO control over elver eel fishery to shooting of Eskasoni man

April 8, 2023 Maureen Googoo

Mi’kmaw leaders in Nova Scotia are accusing the Department of Fisheries and Oceans of not doing enough to control the elver eel fishery following an alleged shooting of an Eskasoni man in Meteghan, N.S. “We […]

Nova Scotia judge dismisses charges against three Mi’kmaw fishermen

January 10, 2023 Maureen Googoo

A Nova Scotia provincial court judge has dismissed fishery charges against three Mi’kmaw lobster fishermen who argued they had a constitutionally protected treaty right to catch and sell fish to earn a moderate livelihood. In […]

Nova Scotia judge reserves decision in treaty fishing rights case

October 19, 2022 Maureen Googoo

A Nova Scotia provincial court judge has reserved his decision in a court case that involves the treaty right to fish to earn a moderate livelihood. Leon Knockwood, 27, James Nevin, 38, and Logan Pierro-Howe, […]

Moderate livelihood treaty right at centre of fishery trial in Nova Scotia

September 9, 2022 Maureen Googoo

A trial involving three Mi’kmaw fishermen who say they were exercising their treaty right to fish for a living when they were charged with fishery offences is currently underway in Digby, N.S. James Nevin, 38, […]

Mi’kmaw fisherman seeks court approval to fight fishery charges on constitutional grounds

August 22, 2022 Maureen Googoo

A Mi’kmaw fisherman from Nova Scotia is seeking permission from a provincial court judge to challenge fishery offences against him on constitutional grounds. Cory Francis, 53, from the Acadia First Nation near Yarmouth, N.S. argues […]

Mi’kmaw fisherman using 1752 treaty, ancestry in legal battle with DFO

July 20, 2022 Maureen Googoo

A Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw fisherman says he has a constitutionally protected treaty right to catch and sell fish because he is a direct descendant of the Mi’kmaw Grand Chief who signed one of the Peace […]

Sipekne’katik chief arrested, detained by DFO following launch of annual treaty lobster fishery

August 17, 2021 Maureen Googoo

The chief of the Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia was arrested and questioned by federal fishery officers Monday just as community fishers began its annual treaty lobster fishery in Saulnierville, N.S. Chief Mike Sack […]

Sipekne’katik fisherman says delay in fishery launch the smart decision for now

June 5, 2021 Maureen Googoo

Robert Syliboy said he was reluctant to drop his lobster traps in St. Mary’s Bay this week. “If I put my gear in the water today, it would likely be gone by tomorrow,” the Mi’kmaw […]

United Nations committee seeks answers from Canada over racism, violence against Mi’kmaw fishers

May 11, 2021 Maureen Googoo

A United Nations committee is seeking answers from Canada regarding the racism and violence Mi’kmaw lobster fishers experienced while they exercised their treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood in Nova Scotia last fall. […]

Sipekne’katik to resume lobster fishing under moderate livelihood June 1

April 23, 2021 Maureen Googoo

The Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia says it plans to continue on with its own treaty fishery in St. Mary’s Bay in June despite the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’s directive that all moderate […]

Sipekne’katik sues Nova Scotia, says fish buying regulations infringe on treaty rights

February 5, 2021 Maureen Googoo

The Sipekne’katik First Nation is suing the Nova Scotia government over regulations that oversee fish and seafood sales from fish harvesters to buyers, calling them unconstitutional and an infringement of Mi’kmaw treaty rights. In the […]

Lawyer for Mi’kmaw fishermen says charges against them should be dismissed

October 27, 2020 Maureen Googoo

The lawyer representing four Mi’kmaw lobster fishermen in Nova Scotia says all fishery charges against them should be dismissed. “We have four Mi’kmaw fishermen that were fishing under their right to (fish for) a moderate […]

Eskasoni fisherman plans to fight fishery charges against him

October 25, 2020 Maureen Googoo

A Mi’kmaw lobster fisherman from Eskasoni First Nation in Nova Scotia says he plans to fight several fishery charges against him. Ashton Bernard, 30, says he was exercising his treaty right to fish for a […]

Nova Scotia chiefs rejected $87-million offer from DFO, want moderate livelihood defined

October 5, 2020 Maureen Googoo

The co-chair of the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs says negotiations with the federal government over the treaty right to earn a moderate livelihood from the fishery reached an impasse earlier this year because […]