Headlines from this weeks SPEC

Dec. 8, 2002

Gespeg Nation and FAPAQ sign fishing agreements
Local ZEC happy with results
Charlene Eden

Quebec Parks and Wildlife (FAPAQ) has finally signed two treaties with the Micmac nation of Gespeg pertaining to fishing rights for the Dartmouth, York and Saint-Jean rivers surrounding Gaspe. The deal comes after the treaty process was stalled last spring when the Society for the Greater Rivers of Gaspe, which manages the three rivers, opposed the first treaty for a variety of reasons, including the Nation’s right to use gill nets in the rivers. The new agreements however seems to meet the needs of everyone involved.

The new treaties, which were signed on October 25th and are in effect until September 2004, outline individual and community fishing rights for the Gespeg nation. For individual fishing, Micmac fishermen will have access to the uncontrolled zones of the Madeleine, Dartmouth, York, Grande-Riviere, Pabok and Saint-Jean rivers without paying regular fishing fees. Forty rods per year in the controlled zones of the Dartmouth, York and Saint-Jean rivers have also been allotted to members of the Gespeg nation. Regular fees will once again be waived for the forty rods. This number has greatly decreased from the first proposed treaty, which would have given the Micmac nation 240 rods in the controlled zones during each fishing season.