Some news of my own. After 37 years I will be leaving the CBC at the end of the month. A few more weeks of reporting and a summer spent oil painting in St Margarets Bay awaits!

NSP is seeking a one time payment from ratepayers for $22-m to cover the cost of severe storm restorations in 2023. If approved would result in a 1.3% rate hike for 2025. This is separate from its application for $25-m for left over Fiona costs from 2022. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Federal Liberals tried to wedge the Conservatives on fishing port spending in Atlantic Canada on Monday. The budget “echo announcement” was blatantly partisan. DFO was unable to provide even the most basic details of what little was released today. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Not our Department. DFO has noticeably increased enforcement of the illegal elver fishery. But are those arrested charged and prosecuted? “That’s the hope and expectation,” says N.S. Lib MP Mike Kelloway, speaking for DFO. Adding it’s up to Public Prosecution Service. Unclear.

DFO Minister announcing at this moment opening of personal-use mackerel bait fishery in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, extending commercial moratorium | CBC News cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

So seals are eating tonnes of mackerel after all. New CDN/US study estimates they take between 7,000 and 13,000 tonnes annually. A word of caution however…It is a modeling study with a high level of uncertainty. Still, can hear an I told you so… cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

CBC story on Nova Scotia lobster boat captain/pound operator winning appeal of his sentence in illegal fishing case. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Everett update. Shawn Everett was fined $32K when DFO found 34% of his lobster catch on Fundy Storm was undersized or egg bearing. Plus 1 mo. suspension. Crown sought $85K & appealed. That was rejected today. Court ruled 1) no precedent to justify more 2) no error in law.

NS Appeal Court has dismissed the Crown appeal of sentences handed Shawn Everett of Nautical Seafoods for an “egregious” case of illegal lobster fishing. Everett was caught with a large number of undersized and egg bearing lobsters while fishing First Nation licences in 2020.

One CDN scientist is challenging the listing of white sharks as endangered, arguing there is not enough information to justify the assessment. Says it’s time to prepare for more interactions between people and white sharks in ATL Canada. Eg. beach signs cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Elver enforcement, arrests moved from rural riversides to downtown Dartmouth with Shubie Canal bust one week ago. Of note is that provincial conservation officers were assisting DFO as it enforces ban on elver fishing at the time. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Beyond a freakily flattering photo, NS takes a first step to fast track shellfish, marine plant ops in Argyle. Made possible thx to the local municipality who did all the advance work to pre approve sites. Does nothing for those in line elsewhere in NS. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

In the fall of 2022 the Houston government stuck it to Nova Scotia Power with new performance standards to increase “accountability.” Today ratepayers are getting stuck with the bill. Here’s why: cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Should Canadian lobster fishermen increase the legal minimum in their Lobster Fishing Area to match a new US minimum? At stake: access to the US market for their live lobster. In LFA 34 - Canada’s largest - it could mean throwing back 12-15% of the catch. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

I’m getting positive reaction to the appointment of Membertou fisheries manager Hubert Nicholas as a Canadian Commissioner to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Agency sets quotas for tuna and swordfish in Atlantic. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

DFO Minister weighs in on Mar 26 detention of unauthorized Mi’kmaw elver fishers in Shelburne.
“Deeply troubled” Diane Leboutillier says “allegations brought forward regarding the treatment they received are simply unacceptable.” Pledged to eliminate systemic racism.

Will a catastrophic equipment failure sink Sustainable Blue? The advanced land-based, closed-loop Atlantic salmon farm is now in receivership. A filter failure last Nov. at its N.S. facility killed 100K market-ready salmon, triggering a cash crisis. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Here is the latest from federal government authorities on elver fishery enforcement in Nova Scotia. cbc.ca/news/canada/no…

Speak of the devil. This afternoon DFO announced 26 river side arrests for unauthorized elver fishing, 6 vehicles seized and 6.5 kgs of elvers released back into rivers. The RCMP also laid assault charges This is a trail camera image of poaching this morning in Hubbards.

Reports coming to me from Yarmouth to Hubbards that elver poaching is fully underway again in Nova Scotia despite DFO order cancelling the legal fishery in 2024. This would confirm predictions from licenced harvesters. DFO has reported 5 arrests. It has not deterred poaching.