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MONDAY, MAY 5, 2003

Non-Native fisherman in New Brunswick, Canada, torched three boats assigned to the Big Cove (Mi'kmaq) First Nation and destroyed other property in an apparent protest against federal fishing rules.

A reported 250 people roamed the streets of Shippagan for several hours on Saturday. RCMP officers and others were powerless to stop the damages, which is expected to be in the millions. No one appears to have been injured.

The violence came right after the federal government reduced the snow crab quota while at the same time assigning new licenses -- including some to Native fishermen.

Get the Story:
Boats, buildings torched in native fishery fight (CBC 5/4)
Police watch in horror as Shippagan burns (CBC 5/4)
Fishery riot leaves N.B. town tense (CBC 5/5)
N.B. town calm after violence over crab fishery (CTV 5/5)

Relevant Documents:
RCMP Press: 'Major Disturbance' in Shippagan (RCMP 5/3)

Relevant Links:
The Marshall Case, Department of Fisheries and Oceans - www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/COMMUNIC/Marshall/marshall_e.htm
Fishing Fury, from the CBC: cbc.ca/news/indepth/fishingfury/index.html

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