Paul Withers
@Witherscbc
Followers
7K
Following
35
Media
329
Statuses
3K
CBC reporter covering politics, industry and environment in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.
Halifax
Joined May 2009
Back at work …one last time reporting results in the PC blowout.
4
0
16
A final story for CBC News. Tensions rise between Canada and France over halibut fishing in the Atlantic. DFO has issued a blunter than normal statement. Both countries are negotiating quota sharing arrangement. It is not going well.
cbc.ca
Tensions are rising between Canada and France over fishing quotas for halibut, a valuable groundfish that migrates across the jurisdictions of both countries.
21
18
81
Thanks to Dalhousie University and some of their oceanography team who took time to reminisce this week. Always enjoyed talking to them over the years about their work.
0
2
21
Five years after Canada warned extinction of Atlantic cod was probable in the southern Gulf of St Lawrence a new assessment is out. Trend continues. Some context: extinction is defined as below 1,000 tonnes. Still present but hard to find, or catch.
cbc.ca
Between 60 and 70 per cent of cod in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence do not survive beyond age five and are likely being eaten by the huge herds of grey seals in the region, according to a federal...
1
9
11
An interesting - if not surprising - reaction in southwestern Nova Scotia following a move to accelerate shellfish and marine plant aquaculture.
cbc.ca
Opposition is surfacing in southwestern Nova Scotia over a decision by two levels of government to fast-track approvals of shellfish farms in the Municipality of Argyle, raising questions about the...
0
1
2
New name. New CEO. New business strategy. But when will rebranded Occurrent Power actually start generating electricity from the Bay of Fundy tides? First it needs more money. The elusive prize remains: inexhaustible energy.
cbc.ca
A tidal energy company awarded the right to harness electricity from the Bay of Fundy has changed its name, its CEO and its business model, but it is not clear when it will start generating power.
0
3
6
Leading cause of bird deaths - as estimated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2017 - was included but did not make the final version of this item. Cats and collisions with glass buildings, vehicles & electrical lines are the biggest killers by far.
cbc.ca
With Nova Scotia going all in on land-based wind farms to reduce reliance on burning fossil fuels, there are calls to do more to protect migrating birds from the spinning blades.
0
4
4
Listening for Chinese submarines entering the arctic and whales in the Atlantic, Canada looks for efficiencies and greater cooperation among federal departments collecting ocean data.
cbc.ca
A new marine research centre has opened in Dartmouth, N.S., to co-ordinate the sophisticated underwater platforms used by Canada to gather ocean data.
1
2
6
Hats off to John Batt and the team at Dalhousie University who are marking the 50th anniversary of the Aquatron. Its labs and tanks have been a platform for much ocean research. Open house on Saturday afternoon. (Check out the ATL whitefish if you go).
cbc.ca
If it swims, floats or sinks, it may have been tested inside the Aquatron's laboratories and tanks since it opened 50 years ago. The golden anniversary is being marked this weekend with an open house.
0
6
13
This is a black eye for Nova Scotia on a couple of levels. Young leader of aquaculture industry walks away from the business as her company hits pause on operations in face of lengthy government delays. This should raise red flags at NS Fisheries.
cbc.ca
A large Nova Scotia seafood company says it has stopped aquaculture operations in frustration over the provincial government's handling of the industry.
0
12
19
Some news of my own. After 37 years I will be leaving the CBC at the end of the month. A few more weeks of reporting and a summer spent oil painting in St Margarets Bay awaits!
124
20
473
NSP is seeking a one time payment from ratepayers for $22-m to cover the cost of severe storm restorations in 2023. If approved would result in a 1.3% rate hike for 2025. This is separate from its application for $25-m for left over Fiona costs from 2022.
cbc.ca
Nova Scotia Power says it spent $32 million last year preparing and restoring power because of severe storms. Approved rates only covered one-third of the cost, and now the utility wants to charge...
8
6
11
Federal Liberals tried to wedge the Conservatives on fishing port spending in Atlantic Canada on Monday. The budget “echo announcement” was blatantly partisan. DFO was unable to provide even the most basic details of what little was released today.
cbc.ca
The Trudeau government has announced that dozens of small craft harbours in Atlantic Canada and Quebec will be repaired in the coming year, setting the stage to pressure political rivals to support...
4
9
11
Not our Department. DFO has noticeably increased enforcement of the illegal elver fishery. But are those arrested charged and prosecuted? “That’s the hope and expectation,” says N.S. Lib MP Mike Kelloway, speaking for DFO. Adding it’s up to Public Prosecution Service. Unclear.
2
4
5
DFO Minister announcing at this moment opening of personal-use mackerel bait fishery in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, extending commercial moratorium | CBC News
cbc.ca
Canada is opening a personal-use bait fishery for mackerel this spring while extending the moratorium on commercial mackerel fishing in Atlantic Canada and Quebec in 2024.
1
5
6
So seals are eating tonnes of mackerel after all. New CDN/US study estimates they take between 7,000 and 13,000 tonnes annually. A word of caution however…It is a modeling study with a high level of uncertainty. Still, can hear an I told you so…
cbc.ca
Predators ate at least twice as many Atlantic mackerel as commercial fishery landings in the decade leading up to Canada's region-wide moratorium, according to new research by Canadian and American...
4
6
13
CBC story on Nova Scotia lobster boat captain/pound operator winning appeal of his sentence in illegal fishing case.
cbc.ca
The Nova Scotia Supreme Court has dismissed the Crown's appeal of a sentence handed to an Annapolis County captain convicted in a case of illegal lobster fishing.
2
1
2
Everett update. Shawn Everett was fined $32K when DFO found 34% of his lobster catch on Fundy Storm was undersized or egg bearing. Plus 1 mo. suspension. Crown sought $85K & appealed. That was rejected today. Court ruled 1) no precedent to justify more 2) no error in law.
1
4
4
NS Appeal Court has dismissed the Crown appeal of sentences handed Shawn Everett of Nautical Seafoods for an “egregious” case of illegal lobster fishing. Everett was caught with a large number of undersized and egg bearing lobsters while fishing First Nation licences in 2020.
3
1
3
One CDN scientist is challenging the listing of white sharks as endangered, arguing there is not enough information to justify the assessment. Says it’s time to prepare for more interactions between people and white sharks in ATL Canada. Eg. beach signs
cbc.ca
Ottawa is moving ahead with plans to rebuild the population of white sharks in Eastern Canada — fulfilling a legal requirement in effect since 2011 when the predator was listed as endangered under...
1
4
6