WATCH ABOVE: A ban on recreational anglers keeping salmon from New Brunswick is having a big impact on businesses that cater to fishermen. Global’s Brion Robinson reports.
RIVERVIEW, N.B. – A member of the Moncton Fish and Game Association says rules that ban salmon fishermen from keeping any of their catch are too strict.
Michael Breneol is salmon fisherman and a long-time member of the Association. He says the ban is keeping people from buying licenses and that hurts the fishery.
“Having fishermen on the rivers is kind of a deterrent to poachers and no I don’t think it’s a good thing,” he said, noting some rivers could allow for fish to be caught.
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“I’d like to see a two-fish limit,” he said.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced the wide-spread ban in April to curb dropping Atlantic salmon numbers.
Conservation groups have been supporting the ban.
The New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources confirmed to Global News that there aren’t as many people buying salmon fishing licenses as last year.
The drop could also be impacting businesses related to salmon fishing.
Bryant Freeman runs Eskape Anglers, a business that sells flies and some salmon fishing equipment. He says he supports measures to help the salmon industry.
But that the lack of licenses sold this year has been hard on his small business.
“My business was traditionally a salmon fly-tying business and fly supply with equipment and it’s affected it 50 per cent,” he said. “It’s dropped my business 50 per cent.”
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