Eastern Shore Fisherman's Protective Association

Wharf visit alert! See details below.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the 64th Annual General Meeting of the Eastern Shore Fisherman’s Protective Association yesterday. We’d like to extend a special thanks to Doug Wentzell and Wendy Williams from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada for attending our afternoon session. It was great of you to join us and even better that Wendy dressed for the occasion.

To learn more about the new inshore regulations coming into force as of Thursday, April 1, 2021 visit: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca//inshore-regulations-reglement-p

Reminder to our members: The ESFPA 64th Annual General Meeting is tomorrow. When: Wednesday, March 31st, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. Where: Sheet Harbour Legion (Upstairs). ... Please note: Though lunch will not be served due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be break with refreshments provided following safety guidelines.

2020 Renewal fee reminders!

https://www.canada.ca//fish-harvester-benefit-and-fish-har

https://www.newswire.ca//sustainability-not-politics-shoul

We just HAVE to show you this sweet fisherman who came by the office yesterday from the Eastern Shores Gallery next door! PS: We are looking for retired buoys, rope and a few more traps for the building! Please let us know if you have anything un-fishable that you wouldn't mind getting rid of! https://www.facebook.com/watch/

More Gear Marking Guidance!

UPDATE: FISH HARVESTER BENEFIT AND GRANT APPLICATION CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca//privacy-notice-avis-confidentia

REMINDER that starting tomorrow morning you can apply for the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant. Get all your information and paperwork ready to make tomorrow qu...icker, and easier for you. Click on the link below to see what you need to apply http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca//initia/fhgbp-ppsp/index-eng.html

The Honourable Minister Of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard - Bernadette Jordan

Check out this survey and news release from a group of fishing associations - including ours. https://stockhouse.com//canadians-want-action-from-the-gov

TWO funding options during COVID-19. Applications are open August 24 - September 21. DFO provided a phone line for inquiries: 1-877-535-7307... In both cases, the best thing to do is gather the following information ahead of time: - Social Insurance Number (SIN) - Full Name - Amount of reported self-employed fishing income for the 2018 or 2019 tax year (this is a line on past taxt documents) - Income Tax Program Account Number if income is reported under a corporation - Projected estimate of 2020 business expenses related to fishing - Projected estimate of self-employed fishing income for 2020 - Applicant’s full home address - Phone number - Email - Bank details for payments (including branch transit number, institution number and account number) - Fisher Identification Number (FIN) Fish Harvester Benefit (FHB): Offers income support to self-employed fish harvesters and sharepersons. Covers up to 75% of income losses beyond a 25% threshold for the 2020 tax year when compared to 2018 or 2019. The max benefit is $10,164. The following are eligible for FHB: - Self-employed commercial fish harvesters (e.g. owner-operators, enterprise heads, inshore, licence holders - Sharepersons crew, - Not wage earning crew, whom are eligible for CERB Fish Harvester Grant: -Sharepersons crewnt to self-employed fish harvesters with a valid commercial fishing licence in 2020. The Grant provides a max non-repayable support of up to $10,000, dependent on the level of the fish harvesters’ historic fishing revenue in 2018 or 2019. - A lesser Grant amount may be provided on a sliding scale relative to revenue or actual expenses, with payments under the Grant not to exceed actual expenses. The following are eligible for FHG: - Self-employed commercial fish harvesters (e.g. owner-operators, enterprise heads, inshore licence holders - Not Crew http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca//initia/fhgbp-ppsp/index-eng.html

Minister Jordan announced earlier today that the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program will be open for applications on August 24, 2020, through to September 21, 2020. https://twitter.com/FishOceansC/status/1291018124624564224 Information is now available for two funding programs. - APPLICATIONS OPEN: August 24 to September 21 - WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW?: Collect the information identified below and keep it handy prior to the application period. ...Continue reading

To: Maritimes Region Fixed gear fishery and association representatives Good morning, This notice is to inform you of an update to the gear marking requirements for fixed gear fisheries in the Maritimes Region. In response to feedback from fish harvesters, DFO will be revising the marking requirements to allow for portions of vertical lines to be replaced with rope with integrated coloured yarns. ... The initial gear marking conditions stated that if rope marked with integrated coloured yarns (i.e. pre-marked rope with the fishery/area colours running through its length) was used, it needed to be through the entire length of the vertical line. This amendment will allow for fishers to use sections of this marked rope (e.g. when replacing a worn-out portion of a line) without needing to then add additional redundant twine markings on the same sections of the line. If using sections of this pre-marked rope, segments must be at least 2 metres in length. If they are placed in the same location as either the top, middle, or bottom sections of the line (as defined in licence conditions), this will satisfy the marking for that location and you will not be required to add interlaced twine on that section. For example: A fisher in LFA 34 wishes to replace the lower half of a 36.5 m (20 fathom) long vertical line with new rope, and chooses to use rope from a supplier that is pre-marked with LFA 34 colours. When this rope is added, it covers the bottom (within 2 m of the fishing gear) and the middle (further than 12 m from either end) sections of the rope, and satisfies those marking requirements. As such, the fisher will only need to add a top (within 2 m of the buoy) marking with interlaced twine. Should this fisher wish to use shorter segments of the pre-marked rope, they must ensure that these segments are each at least 2 m in length. This amendment will apply to all fixed gear fisheries subject to gear marking requirements as they receive licence conditions moving forward (i.e. applies to those preparing for summer and fall-opening fisheries). For fisheries that are currently operating and subject to gear marking requirements in conditions that have been issued, this adjustment will apply in your next fishing season. As a reminder, you can access the current marking requirements and colour schemes for specific fisheries online at https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-/sdc-cps/index-eng.html This page will be updated with a new version reflecting this change in the coming days. Should you have questions or require further information, please email [email protected]. Thank you again for your patience and cooperation with the introduction of these new measures.

We're Welcoming our new neighbor here at the office! Eastern Shores Gallery Grand Opening will be this Friday, July 10 and they will be joined by the The Bandwagon Food truck. Come by for lunch and check it out!... #supportlocal #buylocal

This was emailed last Monday. However, we've had many questions on Support, Funds and EI. There are several Funds and Support Programs available, however we do not know the processes to acquire this support yet. Service Canada is working on this and we will distribute more info as soon as possible. - More information should arise this week, and we will let you know as soon as it does.

FMO renewed for 45 days as of yesterday, June 28, 2020: Fisheries Management Order FMO-2020-03 requiring that all authorized fishing activities be carried out, on a temporary basis, without any at-sea observer coverage, except where safety criteria is met. FMO-2020-03-R: http://www.inter.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Mari/Orders-Registry/Report

Reminder that ALL 2020 Lobster logs are due by July 15. Please remember to submit both log pages and don't forget to check the SARA box if you did not encounter any. These must be submitted at the end of each month during the season, by the 15th of the following month.... Atlantic Catch Data 32 Hawthorne Street Yarmouth, NS B5A 1M7

Covid 19 Information Resources https://www.nsfsc.ca/covid-19/

Members organizations of the Eastern Fishermen's Federation: Eastern Kings Fishermen's Association Eastern Shore Fisherman's Protective Association Grand Manan ...Fishermen's Association Guysborough County Inshore Fishermens Association Halifax West Commercial Fishermen's Association North of Smokey-Inverness South Fishermen's Association Northumberland Fishermen'ns Association Nova Scotia Fixed Gear 45'-65' Society Prince County Fishermen's Association Prospect Area Full-time Fishermen's Association Scotia Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association Shelburne County Quota Group South Shore Independent Fishermen's Association South Shore Gillnet Fishermen's Association S.W. Nova Fixed Gear Association Western Gulf Fishermen’s Association See more

TO: ATLANTIC MACKEREL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AMAC)/ ATLANTIC MACKEREL MANAGEMENT PLAN 2020 The Minister has set the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the Atlantic Mackerel fishery for 2020 at 8,000 tonnes, a rollover from the previous year, under a one-year management plan.... The Department will provide ongoing communication of landings information via email to AMAC when 50% of the TAC is reached. Please be advised that the department will implement new reporting requirements to improve monitoring of landings in the commercial and bait mackerel fisheries for some fleets in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. The minimum fish size for commercial mackerel retention remains at 268mm as determined by the last stock assessment The temporary freeze on the issuance of new commercial mackerel licences for fixed and mobile gear effective July 27, 2017 will continue. This includes the addition of new gear types to existing commercial licences. Brian Lester Chair/Président

The Honourable Minister Jordan was interviewed last night (May 29th,2020, on Ripple FX). She spoke about the new financial support for Canada’s fish harvesters that was announced on May14th. The interview starts around the 5 minute mark.

https://pm.gc.ca//prime-minister-announces-new-support-can