Nelson Sergerie, LJI Jounalist

GASPÉ – The Micmac Nation of Gesgapegiag could receive up to $1.3 million under an agreement reached with the Quebec government allowing a partial resumption of net salmon fishing in June.
According to a decree published in the Official Gazette on July 2, the amount will be paid during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

This sum stems from the agreement reached on October 22, 2024, which was automatically renewed for one year on April 1, 2025, according to the decree.

The announcement was made in a press release on June 10. In that press release, Quebec indicated at the time that the agreement allowed certain salmon fishing activities to resume on the Cascapedia River, in accordance with the terms of the community fishing license.

Species conservation was at the heart of the discussions, as indicated by Minister Ian Lafrenière, responsible for Relations with First Nations, during a May visit to the Gaspé Peninsula.

Net fishing is a traditional cultural practice for the Mi’gmaq. In addition to species conservation, ensuring the transmission of knowledge to younger generations was also a key concern.
Fishing activities took place on June 18, 19, and 20.

Discussions for a multi-year agreement are ongoing and could address predictability for all users of the river.

In June 2024, at least one net was spotted on the Grand Cascapedia River. The two parties had been in dispute since the end of a 16-year agreement on March 31, 2024, under which no nets were used to catch salmon.

At the time, the Quebec government informed Gesgapegiag that it would no longer enter into individual compensation agreements, proposing instead to pay sums to create jobs and protect and conserve salmon. That proposal was rejected by the community.

In the absence of an agreement, there were no longer any restrictions on net fishing, according to the memo sent to Gesgapegiag Nation members.

However, in the days that followed, a new agreement was reached. The Quebec government agreed to pay compensation in exchange for refraining from net fishing, and the nets were subsequently removed.