An intervention also took place in Grande-Vallée during the evening of July 22 in connection with the poaching of mackerel at the municipal wharf. The fishermen arrested six people and seized fish and fishing gear.
The investigation into this operation is still ongoing. The head of the division of conservation and protection of the Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Îles-de-la-Madeleine sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Jean-François Sylvestre, indicates that the charges will soon be filed . He already specifies that the exceeding of the quota of mackerel and the fishing of unauthorized species are in question.
The Department of Fisheries does not rule out the arrest of other people in connection with this case. It’s not impossible, the survey will tell
, affirms Mr. Sylvestre by specifying that it is information transmitted by the public which led to the intervention of July 22.
Grande-Vallée is a popular place for recreational fishermen (archives).
Photo: Radio-Canada / Martin Toulgoat
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While some photos that may suggest overfishing on the Grande-Vallée wharf circulated a lot on social networks last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada says that the arrests made Thursday are not related to the people who appear on these clichés.
With the influx of tourists that we have, combined with the change in the regulations, this is something that is worrying for us at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. We closely monitor the overruns of allocated quotas.
New rules in force
Since May 26, 2021, mackerel catches have been limited to 20 per day per person during recreational fishing.
Ottawa has also set the minimum size of mackerel that can be kept at 28.6 centimeters, in addition to prohibiting fishing between 1is January and March 31 and limit the number of fishing lines to five with a maximum of six hooks per line.
These new rules, combined with a 50% reduction in trade quotas, aim to restore the Atlantic mackerel population, while the species’ spawning stock biomass is at the lowest level ever, according to Ottawa.
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Although the Ministry has publicized the new rules in force on its website and social networks in addition to organizing awareness-raising activities, many people are not aware of the new regulations
, according to Jean-François Sylvestre.
Some people say they are not aware of the new rule and are tempted to go beyond it
, he says. There are always people who take a chance and take risks.
The Director of Conservation and Protection for the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie and Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Jean-François Sylvestre, indicates that Fisheries and Oceans Canada officers are doing a lot of awareness raising among fishermen recreation regarding the new rules surrounding the capture of mackerel (archives).
Photo: Radio-Canada / Joane Bérubé
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Fisheries and Oceans Canada invites the population to denounce any act of poaching by using the Poaching-Alert telephone line (1-800-463-9057) or a form available on the department’s website. (New window).
A problem rather important
The mayor of Grande-Vallée is also concerned about the situation.
In recent years, there have been fairly significant problems on the Grande-Vallée wharf
, says Noël Richard. Even when there was no quota, we found that there were still significant catches for a recreational fishery. We have already requested interventions from the ministry in recent years.
The mayor of Grande-Vallée, Noël Richard, believes that the overfishing of mackerel on the Grande-Vallée wharf is a problem (archives).
Photo: Radio-Canada / Martin Toulgoat
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The mayor even specifies that the Municipality contacted Fisheries and Oceans Canada last Thursday to request an intervention, after citizens had reported fishing activities that seemed suspicious on the wharf.
We would like everyone to respect the quotas.
Further west, at the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts wharf, the harbor master reports that illegal acts allegedly occurred in early summer, but that the situation is improving.
mackerel per person and that it was no longer fishing like in the past years “,” text “:” I have citizens who took the trouble to educate offenders and tell them that, henceforth, there was a quota of 20 mackerel per person and that it was no longer a fishery like the past years “}}”>I have citizens who took the trouble to educate offenders and tell them that, from now on, there was a quota of 20 mackerel per person and that it was no longer fishing as in past years.
, mentions Sylvain Gaumond.
Mr. Gaumond believes that the lack of quota in past years gave rise to recreational fishing abusive
, as he recounts seeing fishermen leaving the wharf with refrigerated trailers loaded with mackerel. That, I think it will not happen again and we will be happier
, launches the harbor master.
Same story with the prefect of Haute-Gaspésie, Allen Cormier: I’ve seen horror scenarios in the past, people from the outside, without wishing to carry any prejudices, filling cooler on top of cooler, and I wondered if there was shameless waste in some cases.
.
I think limiting the catch to 20 mackerel per day was the right decision for the government
, says Cormier.
The ministry is unable to indicate how many violators have been caught since the new regulations came into force.
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