Dartmouth transport company charged in $250K elver seizure

A transport company located in a Halifax-area industrial park has recently been charged after fisheries officers conducted a search last year that resulted in the seizure of approximately $250,000 worth of juvenile eels. These eels were allegedly caught illegally and were intended for export through Toronto.

Igloo Transport Ltd. was brought to court last month in Dartmouth, N.S., on the charge of possessing, selling, or purchasing young eels, also known as elvers, that were caught in violation of the Fisheries Act or its regulations. Additionally, two individuals are also facing charges in relation to this case.

The cancellation of last spring’s elver fishing season by the federal fisheries minister came after several years of disorder and violence in the highly profitable fishery. This decision effectively rendered any elver fishing along Nova Scotia and New Brunswick rivers illegal.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), which has been under scrutiny for perceived lax enforcement, is now implementing new regulations in an effort to better regulate the sale and export of illegally caught elvers. Elvers harvested in Maritime rivers are typically shipped live, often through Toronto’s Pearson airport, to Asia, where they are raised in aquaculture facilities for consumption. The surge in demand over the past decade has led to a significant increase in unauthorized fishing activities.

While DFO has historically required licenses for individuals engaged in elver fishing, the same level of regulation has not extended to those in possession of or involved in exporting these eels. This regulatory gap has limited enforcement officers in their ability to monitor the entire supply chain.

The new regulations, set to take effect on March 1, will mandate licenses for the possession and export of elvers. License holders will be required to document the origin of all elvers entering their facilities and all subsequent transfers using a traceability app. This enhanced system aims to deter individuals from engaging in unlawful fishing, purchasing, or exporting of elvers by ensuring that those in the legal supply chain are licensed and accountable for their activities.

Last May, DFO officers intercepted 60 kilograms of elvers in the Burnside industrial park in Dartmouth, N.S., that were destined for Toronto and then overseas. The company involved, Igloo Transport, declined to provide a comment on the charge. One of the individuals charged in the case, Matthew Cope, a Mi’kmaw fisherman, has previously faced fisheries charges related to lobster fishing and has asserted his treaty rights.

The introduction of the traceability app has been welcomed by commercial elver fishing license holders who have expressed dissatisfaction with the federal government’s management of the fishery. However, challenges remain in tracking elver imports from the Caribbean and Maine, where significant quantities are shipped to Canada and then exported to Hong Kong. The new regulations aim to address these issues by requiring license holders to keep imported and domestic elvers separate and closely monitor their inventories and transfers.

As the case progresses, with no pleas entered yet, the industry awaits further developments in the effort to combat illegal elver fishing and ensure the sustainability of this valuable marine resource.