Other fishermen have suspected him for some time of catching and selling lobsters smaller than the legal minimum size, a measure to protect the resource.
On Saturday, June 10, more than twenty captains discussed with him on the quay. This fisherman declined to comment and Radio-Canada is not naming him as no charges have been filed at this time.
But Captain Yves Blanchard, representing the Bas Caraquet fishermen at Caraquet Quay, agreed to share how it went.
He was told to open his hatches, he said. We didn’t force him, we offered to do it. The captains agreed. I told him that by doing this he would earn the respect of the fishermen for years to come.
Captain Yves Blanchard, representative of the Bas Caraquet fishermen on the Caraquet quay, recognizes that there is unrest among the fishermen these days.
Photo: Radio Canada / René Landry
“He did the right thing for me. If he kept fishing I was afraid his traps would break. »
– A quote from Yves Blanchard, representative of the Bas Caraquet fishermen at the Caraquet shipyard
The fisherman in question complied with this request and took his 300 traps out of the water.
Fisheries and oceans confiscated lobsters
This meeting of fishermen on the quay took place two days after a visit to the Caraquet quay by fisheries and marine officials.
On June 8, 2023, fisheries officials from the Caraquet and Shippagan departments seized lobsters below the minimum size of 81 mm at the Caraquet wharf, a federal department spokesman said.
Fish right
Here, in Caraquet, it is one of the worst places for lobsters, Yves Blanchard recalls. There are not many lobsters here compared to other places. We cannot tolerate such a situation.
The uneasiness of the lobster fishermen on the Caraquet wharf is palpable these days when it comes to their colleague, whom they have “strongly advised” to remove his traps.
Photo: Radio Canada / René Landry
The Bas-Caraquet fisherman’s representative points out that the outcome will depend heavily on the attitude of the fisherman.
I’m sure he learned his lesson. In my opinion he will start fishing properly next year.