March 31, 2025
An incident occurred this weekend and we understand some Mi’kmaw elver harvesters were impacted. It is important that accurate details are shared to all Mi’kmaw community members for safety and conversation reasons.
On the evening of Friday, March 28, a group of unknown individuals arrived in a blue half ton truck at Woodens River, where authorized TRP harvesters were set up to fish elvers. These individuals claimed to be from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and threatened the harvesters, saying they would return to seize their equipment. The harvesters promptly contacted DFO and the RCMP but received no response. Concerned for their safety, they went to a nearby gas station, with lighting and surveillance, to contact our Fisheries Implementation Team (FIT) for assistance.
The following day, while once again back at Woodens River, they again encountered a white SUV, believed to be associated with the group from the night before. They informed our FIT who worked to get DFO Conservation and Protection (C&P) officers to their location to ensure everyone’s safety.
While waiting for DFO officers to arrive, a group of fishers from another Mi’kmaw community arrived at Woodens River and began harvesting. We understand that DFO C&P Officers seized equipment and other materials from the other group of Mi’kmaw harvesters.
It is important to clarify that our TRP harvesters did not act against the rights or interests of other Mi’kmaw community members who were out on the river to harvest. They did reach out to our FIT out of genuine concern for their safety because of the harassment from individuals who were impersonating DFO officials for two consecutive days. Safety and conservation are genuine concerns for us and the TRP harvesters.
The TRP community plans limit participation in river harvesting to ensure that our harvesters do not exceed their Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for that specific waterway. Waterway TAC limits are set to maintain conservation efforts and ensure the fishery remains sustainable. For example, if a river can support the removal of 35 kg of elvers, our plan assigns seven harvesters to this designated river, each with a maximum TAC of 5 kg. By tracking all elvers being removed from the rivers, we contribute to the sustainability of the fishery and species.
To foster a clear understanding of our sustainable approach to elver fishing, we are sharing our river designation map and the TRP community-built harvest plan the eight communities are using. This ensures our authorized harvesters can follow the plan and keeps all communities informed on how we are working to protect the American eel. The TRP Plan and map can be found here: https://mikmaqrights.com/?p=4260