Canadian lobster row turns nasty

A fisherman leaps into the sea as his boat is rammed

By Lee Carter in Toronto

A dispute between native fishermen and Canadian government officials over lobster fishing has intensified off the coast of New Brunswick, in eastern Canada.

Retaliation: native fisherman stone fisheries officials

In an incident captured on videotape, federal fisheries vessels rammed small native boats in a morning raid on lobster traps.

The traps have been set for several weeks by the Burnt Church native band in defiance of federal fisheries restrictions.

The native fishermen say that their right to fish is backed by a recent Supreme Court decision.

Caught on videotape

Around 20 government patrol boats were out early on Monday morning, confiscating what officials say are illegal lobster traps.

The rammings occurred when native fishermen tried to place their boats in between the government vessels and the traps.

In the confrontation that followed, one native fisherman was doused with pepper spray, while a federal fisheries official was hit in the face with a rock and later required surgery.

The ramming incident, which sent four fishermen diving into the water, was captured on videotape.

It has been played repeatedly on television news broadcasts across the country.

Public relations 'nightmare'

The former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations Ovid Mercredi said the action was completely unprovoked.

Fisheries officials remove lobster traps for a third time on Tuesday

"When you see these great big boats travelling at high speed at these small, little boats, and you see these four little fishermen jumping off into the water to save their lives, that is not reasonable use of force," he said.

A senior spokesman for the Canadian Fisheries Department called the incident a public relations nightmare.

But Minister of Fisheries Herb Dhaliwal took a tougher stance, saying that the fisheries officers were doing their job and would continue to do so.

Unsigned deal

Burnt Church band members have refused to sign a deal with the Canadian government because they believe their treaty right to fish for a moderate living includes overseeing the fishery.

The Supreme Court of Canada affirmed that right in a decision last September but stressed federal and provincial governments can define what constitutes a moderate livelihood.

Fisheries officials have been engaged in a tense stand-off with the native fishermen for more than a week.

A visit to Burnt Church on Monday by Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault ended abruptly with the minister rapidly driving away before meeting many members of the community.