VANCOUVER — The Canadian government has raised the ire of American tuna fishermen by cutting off their Canadian port privileges just as exploratory talks are set to start over the lucrative Canada-U.S. albacore fishery.
Hope is fading that the 31-year-old treaty allowing Canadians and Americans to fish across borders can be resurrected for this season's fishery.
The Canadian albacore fishery is valued at about $30 million a year.
Wayne Heikkila, the executive director of the Western Fishboat Owners Association based in Redding Calif., said a one-year suspension of the treaty would actually be helpful to allow his group to gather data and assess fleets and economic benefits.
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