Question Period Note: Fish Plant Fire in New Eginburgh Nova Scotia

Fish Plant Fire in New Eginburgh Nova Scotia

On November 25th the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and local firefighters responded to a fire engulfing a lobster plant in New Edinburgh, Nova Scotia.

Thankfully no one was injured, and the RCMP are leading an investigation into the cause. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has offered assistance to the RCMP, as needed.

• On November 25, 2021 the RCMP and firefighters responded to a fire at the Bay of Fundy Seafood Finest facility in New Edinburgh Nova Scotia.
• As the lead, the RCMP issued a News Release on Friday, November 26th. RCMP investigating fire at commercial fish plant | Royal Canadian Mounted Police (rcmp-grc.gc.ca)
• On Monday, November 29th the RCMP reported that at this time, they do not have any information to indicate that this is related to disputes within the fishery.
• No one was harmed in the fire. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is aware the plant was holding product fished in St. Mary’s Bay over the summer however, it is unknown whether any lobster product was onsite.
• Chief Sack of Sipekne’katik First Nation issued a statement that his community is not currently affiliated with the plant; however, the facility has held lobster for the First Nation in recent months.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada has responded to multiple media requests on the fire, asking whether the plant was inspected by Fishery Officers last month.
• The plant was previously subject to vandalism during tensions between non-indigenous and indigenous lobster fishers in 2020.
• The facility was operated by Eric Louis Thibault, whose fish buyers licence for Bay of Fundy Finest Seafoods Distributors Ltd. was revoked by the province of Nova Scotia in October 2020.
• Fishery officers investigated the Bay of Fundy Seafood Finest facility in New Edinburgh, N.S. in 2018 following routine inspections to ensure compliance with the Fisheries Act and associated regulations. The investigation resulted in a number of individuals being sentenced in October 2020 under section 63(1) of the Fisheries Act - for false or misleading statements made to a fishery officer.
• These charges are a matter of public record and Crown Counsel with Public Prosecution Services of Canada is responsible for the prosecution of this and future cases related to this matter.

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