P.E.I. First Nation says fisheries officers seized 300 Indigenous lobster traps

MALPEQUE BAY - A First Nation in Prince Edward Island says federal fisheries officers seized 300 lobster traps over the weekend belonging to Indigenous fishers. Darlene Bernard, chief of Lennox Island First Nation, says the seizures from Malpeque Bay were shocking because her community has exercised its treaty right to manage the lobster fishery since 2022 without issue. Bernard says Lennox Island's 15 fishers set out 1,500 traps when the federally regulated lobster fishing season began in late April, the same number as the past few seasons.  A spokesperson with Fisheries and Oceans Canada would not confirm the seizures, saying only that Ottawa has authorized 1,000 lobster traps for Lennox Island First Nation fishers for the 2025 season. Spokesperson Dan Bate says the fishers are required to meet licence conditions, and that contravening regulations can be subject to enforcement. Bernard says the seizures are illegal because they violate a Supreme Court of Canada decision that affirms the right of Indigenous Peoples to earn a moderate livelihood through fishing. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025.