Tobique First Nation begins restructuring of island fisheries

Tobique First Nation representative Wendall Nicholas arrived on Grand Manan on August 12 with an investigating team to review, restructure and reassess the Tobique fisheries. Earlier the same morning the RCMP had been called concerning what appeared to be unauthorized people removing items from the fisheries building grounds at Ingalls Head. Upon the tribal representative's arrival, a truck from the same company, with two individuals, was seen returning other fishing gear. Perry Perley, the building manager, was not available for comment or explanation.

The Tobique group gathered files and other materials relating to when the fisheries first began, as they are needed for a financial investigation. Nicholas says he has arranged a meeting with the island creditors and is in the process of restructuring the Native fisheries on the island.

"The first order of business is to pay our debts and regain a respectable relationship," he says. Nicholas states that the process had been started, with the financial paperwork being put in order. He says he planned to meet the same day with the fisheries creditors and has fishing managers from the Nova Scotia side flying in to do an inventory of the assets, including the Tobique fisheries building itself, four boats stored in the Grand Manan fishermen's haul-up compound and the residence owned on Route 776.

The next order of business will be to meet with new potential buyers, one from the mainland and one based on Grand Manan. These are buyers who Nicholas says will live up to their responsibilities and will be an asset in working with the Tobique to hold up responsibilities of their own.

"We have a bond and a good working relationship with many people on Grand Manan, and the reality is we also have challenges in our role to be more responsible in our operation. We are here to work on that," Nicholas says. He notes that if there are issues or communication needs, he can be contacted at 506-0273-5569 or by e-mail at <wendallnicholas@gmail.com>.

Nicholas says that young people are training for the fishery. "We have one working as first mate in Nova Scotia on the scallop dragger. We are setting up more training opportunities and looking at different more workable ways for our young people to work into the fisheries."

Nicholas states that he is negotiating with the Canadian government, concerning the poor season and low prices, on behalf of the crews he has fishing one of the boats. "They worked for me, so I'm going to do my best for them."