Nova Scotia’s Fisheries Minister was asked yesterday about the recent Senate committee report on Indigenous fisheries.
Speaking after cabinet, Steve Craig said he hasn’t read the full ‘Peace on the Water’ report, but he did see the summary and ten recommendations.
He says it’s ultimately a federal responsibility.
“And we look to them (federal government) for conservation as well as the rights of Indigenous peoples and others in the fishery. They have the accountability and responsibility for this,” says Craig.
He says there are concerns about how that is moving forward.
The report called for an end to the ‘buyback’ approach, and for DFO to act as an advisor to the implementation of moderate livelihood fisheries.
The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance condemned the report, saying they weren’t consulted, and the recommendations don’t reflect the current state of the commercial fishery.
