The United Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) filed a Notice of Action in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia today seeking declarations that the lobster fishery undertaken by Sipekne’katik First Nation in St. Mary’s Bay, Digby County is illegal, the scope of the moderate livelihood fishery and confirmation that federal rules and regulations for commercial fisheries apply to Sipekne’katik First Nation.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) – an association of commercial fishery stakeholders – is surprised and frustrated by the recent statement from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) related to its commitment to provide adequate resources and equipment to enforce and monitor compliance in the lobster fishery.

The East Coast fishing industry has shown both considerable economic potential and public policy importance. Lobsters, crabs, and other fish stocks have become big business. The fishing sector injects a great deal of money into the East Coast economy, attracts substantial investment, and provides steady and even lucrative employment for thousands of people, particularly those living in the smaller coastal communities….

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) is voicing its grave dissatisfaction and frustration over a study released by the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans earlier this week on Indigenous rights-based fisheries, specifically those affirmed in the 1999 Marshall decisions.

Recent public opinion research conducted on behalf of the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) by Narrative Research found broad agreement among Maritimers that fisheries regulations and commercial fishing seasons have been established with both conservation and sustainability in mind and need to be applied to all.

The UFCA has obtained intervenor status in the most recent Notice of Application brought forth by Chief Michael Sack and members of the Sipekne'katik First Nation against the Attorney General of Canada…

Earlier today, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court granted the UFCA intervenor status in the Potlotek First Nation court case challenging regulations that govern the sale of fish and fish products in Nova Scotia.

The UFCA – an association of commercial fishery stakeholders – is supportive of the announcement made earlier today of an agreement between Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and four First Nations communities…..

The Government of Canada is committed to renewing its relationship with Indigenous peoples. To this end, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) continues to work with First Nations across the Maritimes and the Gaspé region of Quebec on the ongoing implementation of their Treaty right to fish

It is election time, and there is a lot of anxiety, tension and concern in the fishing industry.

The best thing you can do for the commercial fishery in the coming weeks is to find time to talk to your local candidate about your livelihood and the importance of a unified conservation scheme to preserve the fishery for generations to come. Here are a few talking points that our members may find useful at the door:

Any good fisheries policy has conservation at its core. The Liberal Government in Ottawa needs to explain how a moderate livelihood fishery will be conducted in concert with the commercial fishery.

Conservation must be the paramount issue as the federal government plans for a moderate livelihood fishery. The Nova Scotia Liberal Party believes that any unregulated fishery could have a harmful affect on the conservation of stock.

As the province is responsible for the buying, processing, or selling of fish, we want to work constructively with the next provincial government to ensure First Nations can fish and sell their catch for a moderate livelihood while conserving the resource for future generations.

In the interest of keeping our members, as well as the public, fully informed on key issues during the election, we are inviting the leaders of each provincial party to respond to the questions below. The UFCA will evaluate all the responses in the lead up to the final week of the campaign and share the responses with our members and those that rely on a healthy, sustainable fishery in our province.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA), an alliance of commercial fishery stakeholders, intends to seek intervenor status in Sipekne’katik First Nation’s case against the Government of Nova Scotia challenging the regulatory regime governing the purchase and sale of fish and fish products.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) believed your “new path” could provide certainty and clarity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers to work side by side under a unified conservation and fishery management regulatory regime.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA), an alliance of commercial fishery stakeholders, intends to seek intervenor status in Sipekne’katik First Nation’s case against the Government of Nova Scotia challenging the regulatory regime governing the purchase and sale of fish and fish products.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA), a newly formed alliance of commercial fishery stakeholders, is calling on the Government of Canada to establish clear, lasting, responsible, regulatory oversight for all fisheries – commercial, food, social, and ceremonial.