Nova Scotia businesses charged with illegal lobster buying

The Nova Scotia government has laid charges against two businesses in the southwestern part of the province for allegedly buying, selling, or processing lobsters caught without a valid licence. The charges, brought under the Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act, follow a two-year investigation by the Department of Natural Resources into the lobster trade.

The accused entities are Independent Fisheries Ltd. in Lockeport and a numbered company, 3329874 Nova Scotia Ltd., located in Shelburne County. The latter faces an additional charge for marketing fish in the province without the required licence. Under legislation updated in 2024, the maximum fine for a first offence has increased from $100,000 to $1 million.

A spokesperson for Independent Fisheries Ltd. denied the allegations, stating the firm employs a robust due diligence process to ensure all lobster is sourced in-season from legal licence holders with proof of origin. The company expressed confidence that it will be vindicated through the legal process.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance, which represents thousands of independent commercial fishers in the Maritimes, welcomed the charges. The group previously filed a lawsuit against Independent Fisheries Ltd. in November 2024. Both cases are scheduled to appear in Yarmouth Provincial Court next month.