The University of British Columbia乌鸦传媒檚 Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) has thrown it乌鸦传媒檚 support behind Mi乌鸦传媒檏maq lobster fishermen on the grounds that protesters乌鸦传媒� claims of a conservation crisis in the Nova Scotia waters are not credible.

乌鸦传媒淲e strongly denounce the acts of violence perpetrated against Mi乌鸦传媒檏maw harvesters pursuing their rights, and also denounce any claim that such actions are justified in the name of conservation,乌鸦传媒� A IOF statement reads. 乌鸦传媒淭here is no credibility on biological grounds to the conservation concerns, given the terms of the fishery initiated by the Mi乌鸦传媒檏maw community.乌鸦传媒�

The follows a tense week in the Atlantic province where non-Indigenous protesters clashed with Sipekne乌鸦传媒檏atik fishermen and vandalized property.

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The Sipekne乌鸦传媒檏atik are conducting a fishery outside of the federally regulated season based on a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision ruling East Coast Indigenous groups have the right to fish for a 乌鸦传媒渕oderate livelihood,乌鸦传媒� though a second ruling stated this was subject to federal regulation.

乌鸦传媒淲e respect the rule of law and abhor the use of violence for settling disputes,乌鸦传媒� IOF stated.

The school乌鸦传媒檚 stance follows an identical statement of solidarity from Dalhousie University乌鸦传媒檚 Department of Biology.

Both institutions are calling on Canada乌鸦传媒檚 fisheries minister, Bernadette Jordan, to support the creation of a fisheries management regime that embraces Mi乌鸦传媒檏maw rights and establishes new and effective measures for conservation and fishermen乌鸦传媒檚 livelihoods in the coastal communities.

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