13 July 2007
Canada Canadian fishermen are dealing with a 20 per cent cut in their tuna quotas, and on Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) the cut is even bigger.
Last year, Island fishermen caught 250 tons of tuna. That included 28 tons of Canadian quota that was originally given to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, but which wasn’t caught there. Walter Bruce, chairman of the P.E.I. tuna advisory committee, said P.E.I.’s quota this year is only 147 tons.
â€It just means a much shorter season, and there’s less fish to catch and less fish will mean less money,†Bruce said.
â€So fishermen aren’t going to make as much money; the economy isn’t going to get as much money because there's a spin-off effect that affects everything.â€
The international body that regulates tuna fishing - ICCAT - is concerned about stock depletion, and that’s what has led to the quota reduction, he said.
