A group of sealers are accusing DFO of “hiding evidence” of seal predation on crab stocks and they intend to take the matter further if need be.
Brad Rideout is the owner of seal processing company Phocalux International in Fleur de Lys.
On Friday a boat went out to harvest some seals only to discover the animals’ stomachs crammed full of crab.
Stomachs of adult seals harvested off St. Anthony this week were full of crab—despite insistence from @DFO_Science earlier this month the animals aren’t having impact on health of crab stock. Fishermen are talking law suit against feds @VOCMOpenline @TheBroadcastCBC #nlpoli pic.twitter.com/z3RuVXXI2o
— Ryan Cleary (@Fishermansroad) March 5, 2021
This year’s crab stock assessment showed some improvement in certain areas, but fishing activity is still only a fraction of what it was 15 or 20 years ago and there is little information on the impact of natural predation on crab stock recovery.
Rideout accuses DFO of hiding information on seal predation.
He says DFO said it checked 20,000 stomachs and no evidence of crab, while they checked only six and all six were full of crab.
Rideout claims they’re keeping the evidence to launch a possible court case against DFO—if necessary.
