The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance has been granted intervenor status in another court case involving indigenous fisheries.
They will be part of the Notice of Application brought by the Sipekne’katik First Nation against the Attorney General of Canada to challenge the regulation and enforcement of Indigenous fishing activities.
UFCA President Colin Sproul discusses why it’s important for them to be involved.
“It’s become clear to us that these cases will determine the nature and scope of first nations fishing rights,” says Sproul. “They’re incredibly important to recertifying and for the recognition of the minister’s, and the government’s, right to regulate fisheries for conservation and sustainability for all parties.”
He says they want to be partners with the government and indigenous fishers.
Sproul shared a message to commercial fishers.
“These are the most important legal issues, right now, facing the fishery in Atlantic Canada,” says Sproul. “Undoubtedly the outcome of these cases will determine what the future of our fishery looks like and what the future of Atlantic Canada’s coastal communities will look like.”
He says it’s critically important for commercial fishers to advocate for their community’s interest in the case.
This is the fourth case the UFCA has sought intervenor status in, and the third in which it’s been granted.
They were granted intervenor status earlier this fall in Potlotek First Nation’s case against the Province of Nova Scotia and the Attorney General of Canada.
The UFCA represents thousands of independent, multi-species commercial fishers, fishery associations and businesses across Atlantic
Canada.
