Department of Fisheries and Oceans Archives

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 […]

Next step for Sipekne’katik lobster harvesters in moderate livelihood fishery is selling catch

September 28, 2020 Maureen Googoo

Terrence Augustine said his first week of lobster fishing under his treaty right to earn a moderate livelihood from the fishery was rough. He said non-Indigenous commercial fishermen cut the lines attached to the 50 […]

Mi’kmaw harvesters confront protesters at wharf in southwestern Nova Scotia

September 15, 2020 Maureen Googoo

Mi’kmaw lobster harvesters confronted a large group of protesters who gathered at a wharf in Weymouth, N.S. Tuesday morning to protest against the Mi’kmaq treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood. Approximately 300 protesters, […]

Sipekne’katik Chief calls on NS Premier, DFO, RCMP to protect Mi’kmaw harvesters’ treaty rights

September 15, 2020 Maureen Googoo

The chief of the Sipekne’katik First Nation in Nova Scotia is calling for the Nova Scotia premier, the minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the RCMP to protect Mi’kmaw lobster harvesters from harassment while they […]

Mi’kmaw lobster harvesters feeling harassed for practising moderate livelihood fishery

September 4, 2020 Maureen Googoo

Mi’kmaw lobster harvesters in southwestern Nova Scotia say they feel harassed by non-Indigenous harvesters for practicing their treaty right to earning a moderate livelihood by setting lobster traps in St. Mary’s Bay. “It’s been very […]

Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw lobster harvester to file an injunction against DFO for seizing traps

September 1, 2020 Maureen Googoo

A Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw lobster harvester plans to file an injunction against the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for seizing his traps in the Bay of Fundy last weekend. “I’m going to get (my lawyer) […]

A Mi’kmaw fisherman is fighting the same fishery charges his father faced 20 years ago

September 24, 2019 Maureen Googoo

A young Mi’kmaw man from Nova Scotia is vowing to fight fishery charges against him like his father did 20 years ago. Leon Knockwood, who is from Sipekne’katik First Nation, N.S. has been charged with […]

NS Mi’kmaw fishermen say DFO seized lobster traps tagged under moderate livelihood

August 20, 2019 Maureen Googoo

Editor’s note: Updated at 10:52 p.m. Includes response from DFO. Two Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw fishermen say the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are violating their treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood by seizing […]

Defining a Moderate Livelihood: Part 2

May 15, 2019 Olivia Blackmore

Editor’s Note: This news story is the last in a two-part series examining the issue of defining ‘moderate livelihood’ as the 20th anniversary of the 1999 Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Donald Marshall, […]

Defining a ‘Moderate Livelihood’: Part 1

May 13, 2019 Olivia Blackmore

Editor’s Note: This news story is the first in a two-part series examining the issue of defining ‘moderate livelihood’ as the 20th anniversary of the 1999 Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Donald Marshall, […]

DFO in talks with Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw fishermen to settle lawsuit says lawyer

May 9, 2019 Maureen Googoo

Four Mi’kmaw fishermen from Nova Scotia are in negotiations with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to settle a lawsuit they launched against the department in February. The lawyer for Mark Howe, Jeremy Syliboy, Alex […]

Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw fishermen sue DFO for racial profiling, infringing on treaty rights

March 26, 2019 Maureen Googoo

Four Mi’kmaw fishermen from Nova Scotia are suing the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for charging them with fisheries violations and seizing their catch in 2015. Mark Howe, 59, Jeremy Syliboy, 36, Alex McDonald, 57, […]