Reps with a Richmond Co. First Nation have launched a lawsuit against provincial officials.
In a news release issued Tuesday, they say they’re taking legal action to be able to sell seafood from their moderate livelihood fishery.
Wilbert Marshall, the chief of the Potlotek First Nation, says their right to a moderate livelihood was affirmed by members of the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1999 Donald Marshall Jr. decision, but provincial regulations prevent them from fully exercising their right.
Those regulations prohibit the purchase of fish harvested without a commercial license issued by federal DFO officials or outside provincial or federal regulations involving season, size and quota.
Potlotek reps started their moderate livelihood fishery in October, and wrapped up in December; they’re planning a second season for the same time as the commercial lobster fishery in the spring.
Marshall says they developed and launched a community livelihood plan, yet harvesters still have barriers to selling their catches.
Reps with the Sipekne’katik First Nation filed a similar suit in early February.
