Indigenous fishermen can't be blamed for 'trying to make a living,' chief says amid lobster dispute

A prominent Nova Scotia First Nation chief says he does not blame Mi'kmaq fishermen if they are using their ceremonial fishing licences to tryto make a moderate living outside the commercial lobster season.

"Some of the communities,their unemployment and poverty is unacceptable," said Membertou First Nation Chief Terry Paul, who isco-chair of the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs and holds the fisheries portfolio for the assembly.

"If that happened anywhere else in the country there would be a riot, there would be a war. But it seems to be OKto be kept that way in our communities. A lot of our communities are tired of waiting and tired of being poor. I can't blame them for trying to make a living for their families."

His comments come after a month of tensions in southwest Nova Scotia. Non-Indigenous fishermenhave been protesting at wharves,calling for the Department and Fisheries and Oceans to intervene inwhat they say is the illegal sale of lobster by some First Nations fishermen.

The lobster fishermen accuse the Sipekne'katik Band of using their right to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposesas a cloak to illegally sell their catch outside thecommercial fishing season, which ended in May and won't resume until late November.

Large amounts of lobster, much of it undersized, was recently found dumped in the woods in Weymouth and DFO officials have admitted theillegal activity is likely happening in St. Marys Bay.

But Paulsaid the real issue is the need for more guidance from the federal government.

On Thursday, he saidOttawa must define and deliveron a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Marshall case that said First Nations are entitled to a moderate living from the fishery.

"The benefits in the fishery, economically, is a stark, stark difference between our communities and the outside of our communities," he said.

"Weoccupy, I think, less than one per centof the fishery, for God's sake. We need more access, and do it in such a way whereeveryone knows about itand we're free to fish for our livelihood."

Sipekne'katikChief Mike Sack has previously said he believes his people are entitled to earna moderate living from the fishery, above and beyond landing lobster forfood, social and ceremonial purposes.

This year, the Trudeau government has taken conspicuous steps to improve First Nations access to fisheries in Atlantic Canada.

Earlier this month, DFO set aside 25per centof Canada's East Coast surf clam quota about 10,000 tonnes for a First Nation enterprise.

The decision ended a longstanding monopoly by Halifax-based Clearwater Seafoods. The company had recently spent tens of millions of dollars on new vessels.

In April, DFO also promisedFirst Nations 1,100 tonnes of snow crab from the southernGulf of St. Lawrence. It was the first timein 14 yearsa Canadian government took fish quota from a commercial fishery and awarded it to First Nations.

Paul acknowledged the steps but said they fall short of meeting Ottawa's obligation to allow First Nations a moderate livelihood from the fishery.

"I think the governmentneeds to go faster.It is doing some things in access but I think that they need to move quicker, where we end up in a situation where we are all compatible in the fishery."