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JUNE 2, 2000

The battle between the Burnt Church First Nation and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans continues as the DFO confiscates more lobster traps in Miramichi Bay. The Burnt Church believe their fisheries management program is a proper implementation of their treaty rights but the DFO says it will keep confiscating traps that don't carry DFO tags. The Mi'kmaq fisherman don't seem discouraged, as they set traps almost as soon as the governmnet removes them.

This is the first lobster season since last year's historic Marshall decision, which gauranteed the right of Mi'kmaq and Maliseet in the Maritimes to earn a livelihood from fishing. The Burnt Church have refused to sign any agreement with the DFO, saying it would limit their rights. The lobster season will conclude at the end of June.

Get the Story:
Disputed lobster fishery turning into cat-and-mouse game (CP 6/2)