Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government calls for moratorium on shrimp fishery in Gulf of St. Lawrence

With concerns over shrimp stocks in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government (LMG) is calling on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to issue a moratorium on the fishery.

Listuguj, located on the border of Quebec and New Brunswick, has managed and participated in the shrimp fishery for the last two decades. Denny Isaac, associate director of natural resources in the community, said shrimp landings are at historic lows.

The 2023 season marked the last time they will participate in the fishery, which usually begins in April and ends in October and takes place in the Estuary of St. Lawrence, and around Sept Îles, Que., and Anticosti Island.

"It doesn't make sense to keep fishing," said Isaac.

"It's unsustainable."

He said less than 40 per cent of the total allowable catch of shrimp was caught this year. 

"Our guys on the boat [are] basically saying it's harder," said Isaac.

"Their ships are going out the same amount of time, dragging on the net up but it's less shrimp and it's harder to generate revenues and the expenses are high."

Warming temperatures, increased predators

A DFO science advisory report's assessment of northern shrimp stocks in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2021 said the warming temperature of deep waters and increased predation by redfish are factors contributing to the decline in shrimp.

The assessment also stated conditions are not expected to improve in the short-to-medium term.

"It's not in our principles to keep fishing something until it's dead," said Isaac.

"Shrimp feeds many other species other than redfish. It's a huge part of how nutrients get cycled up into the food chain. So they play a critical role."

It's why they're pushing for a moratorium on the entire shrimp fishery in the region.

"As Mi'gmaq, we are guided by the principle of ango'tmu'q: taking care of something in a careful manner," said Scott Martin, chief of the Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government, in a news release.

"It would be a violation of ango'tmu'q for us to continue fishing shrimp."

Five First Nations based in Quebec —Mi'kmaq from Gesgapegiag, Gespeg, and Listuguj, Innu Takuaikan Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam and the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation — and two in New Brunswick are licence holders in the shrimp fishery.

Listuguj scaled back its shrimp fishery in prior years. James Metallic-Sloan, fisheries manager at LMG, was a shrimp fisher before he joined the natural resources department. 

"Back in the day, you'd fish three days and they'd pull up over 60,000 pounds [27,000 kg] in three days so, it's definitely a complete different time in how much they're catching," he said.

"If you compare it to this year, they caught half of what I even caught in a full six days."

Meeting with minister

A representative of Listuguj's natural resources department participated in a round table meeting on Tuesday with Diane Lebouthillier, minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and representatives of the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence shrimp industry from Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador to express their recommendations.

In an emailed statement, DFO said it met twice with the Gulf and Estuary Shrimp Advisory Committee this fall to gather comments and perspectives from industry and First Nations for next year's season.

"The minister has expressed her intention to announce a decision no later than January 2024 on the harvest rates for the next fishing season," the department said.