Bay of Quinte MP Ryan Williams rose in the House of Commons last week to present a petition with over 100 signatures. It demands that the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Canada reinstate leases at the Commercial Fishing Heritage Area at Point Traverse.

Despite written agreements between various fishers and the federal government dating to 1978, when Prince Edward Point was  designated a National Wildlife Area, on Aug. 31, federal workers with the Canadian Wildlife Service evicted the McCormack family and other commercial fishers from support buildings at the point. The buildings offer storage for commercial fishing nets and supplies, as well as accommodations for fishing families who spend most of the season on Lake Ontario in search of perch, pickerel and other whitefish.

MP Williams noted that for two centuries, members of the McCormack family have been plying their trade at Point Traverse until the Ministry terminated the leases. The MP said in the House that the Ministry has told the family there are other ways to “make it work” when it comes to commercial fishing at Point Traverse.

“This is unacceptable. I have a petition from over a hundred people, and, quite frankly, Prince Edward County residents — all of them — are upset at ECCC kicking out these people,” MP Williams said. “The petitioners ask that the Canada Wildlife Act set a precedent in accommodating fishing leaseholders without incident at the commercial fishing village in the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area.”

He added that commercial fisheries are a vital part of the economy of Prince Edward County and the petitioners “call on the Government of Canada to reinstate the leases for the commercial fishing village heritage area located in the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area.”