A protest to demand a fishing season delay be rescinded brought nearly 75 protesters to the Canso Causeway Monday.
Gulf Nova Scotia Bonafide Fishermens’ Association President Duane Boudreau says the delay is unwanted and harmful.
Boudreau tells The Hawk fishermen wanted to start when the season would have normally begun, Friday.
“We’d asked many, many times to have our season start on time if we weren’t going to receive an assistance package,” he says, “Since none was created, we feel we should be allowed to fish.”
Boudreau says passers-by seemed supportive, but protesters wanted to show government how serious they were about getting on the water as soon as possible.
He says, without some kind of support, delaying the only two-month long season hurts everyone.
“It’s a quarter of our season, but most fishers make, at least, half of their income in the first two weeks due to the fact the price is usually higher, and the catches are higher,” he says. “It will have a devastating effect on the majority of fishers.”
Boudreau says they want the season to open Wednesday.
