OREANDA-NEWS. September 06, 2016. Government of Canada is increasing recreational fishing opportunities and Indigenous access to the recreational Striped bass fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence waters bordering New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced that the retention period for the Southern Gulf recreational Striped bass fishery will be extended. The final retention period will now run from September 2 to October 31, during which time each person is allowed to keep one fish per day.

In the spirit of increasing Indigenous access to the Striped bass fishery, the Minister has also asked the department to negotiate enhanced Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) access to the fishery for interested Indigenous groups.

Science shows that the number of reproducing Striped bass in the southern Gulf has substantially increased over the last ten years. In 2015, the number of reproducing fish was estimated to be 301,000.

Over the coming months, the department will consult with recreational fishing groups, provinces, Indigenous groups and others with an interest in the fishery to develop a new management plan for the 2017 fishing season and beyond.

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“?This decision will have a positive impact on local communities and demonstrates our commitment to the importance of our relationship with Indigenous groups and others. It will also mean more people will be out on the water, helping to curb potential poaching. I wish to commend the hard work and dedication of my caucus colleagues, Acadie-Bathurst MP Serge Cormier and Miramichi- Grand Lake MP Pat Finnigan who have dedicated a lot of work to this file. Thanks also go out to all the groups who have voiced their views during consultations with my department.”

Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard