Canada seeks to claw back $25M in COVID relief from thousands of fishers

Canada seeks to claw back $25M in COVID relief from thousands of fishers

Source: CBC News

11/14/2021

The federal government is demanding 4,193 Canadian fishers repay $25.8 million in COVID-19 relief assistance paid out in 2020 under the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program, CBC News has learned.

More than half the harvesters issued overpayment letters are in Nova Scotia, where 2,382 have received notices totalling $13.8 million, according to data released to CBC News by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

DFO said many harvesters were ineligible because they were regular wage-earning employees rather than self-employed sharepersons, as required under program rules.

"Canada Revenue Agency data appears to indicate that a significant number of applicants have filed incorrect tax information with respect to the nature of their income," DFO spokesperson Barre Campbell told CBC News.

Travis Nickerson of Clarks Harbour, N.S., received an overpayment letter.

"It's a mess," said Nickerson, a lobster boat crewman. "They gave me something when I really needed it, and now they want it back."

Nickerson is paid a share of the catch and saw his income drop in the first half of 2020 when COVID-19 crashed demand for lobster worldwide.

Continue...

News Id		Source	Stamp	country
3926	Fisherman hooks 134-pound Fish	News Ghana	2013-10-19	TH
3927	Huge oarfish found off Catalina amazes scientists	fox5sandiego	2013-10-14	US
3928	New research shows how the zebrafish could help humans reach Mars	qub	2021-05-20	UK
3929	UK ships prepare to leave Jersey after dispute over fishing rights	BBC News	2021-05-06	UK
3930	Mysterious situation in Coconut Grove as thousands of expensive fish suddenly die outside several homes	local10	2021-05-01	US
3931	Woman rescues fish from library pond	CTV Winnipeg	2013-10-12	CA
3932	New Species of Giant Fish Arapaima Discovered in Brazil	sci-news	2013-10-11	BZ
3933	Absurd Creature of the Week: The Half-Ton Giant Freshwater Stingray With a 15-Inch Poison Barb	wired	2013-09-27	US
3934	X-rays reveal Snake River sturgeon eating tackle	spokesman	2013-09-30	US
3935	Giant tower in the shape of a puffer fish creates online uproar in China	abc	2013-09-27	CN
3936	12-foot sturgeons possible in James River, scientist says	richmond	2013-09-28	US
3937	Snake versus fish: Moment serpent reared up from pond to sink its fangs into hapless perch	Daily Mail	2013-09-25	BG
3938	Record Breaking Salmon Harvest This Year in Alaska	kdlg	2013-09-23	US
3939	Record run leads to relaxation of last Columbia salmon fishing rules	Oregon Live	2013-09-24	US
3940	Goldfish feared dead in house fire found alive in his pond after living for TWO YEARS with no fresh food or light	dailymail	2013-09-19	UK
3941	Fishing Published May 4 Texas fisherman catches 876-pound record-breaking fish	Fox News	2021-05-04	US
3942	Tons Of Dead Fish Leaving ‘Unbearable Smell’ At Jersey Shore	wobm	2021-05-10	US
3943	Facing Lockdown at Sea	hakaimagazine	2021-05-07	CA
3944	Global effort to save dwindling ocean fish faces moment of truth	ajot	2021-05-03	US
3945	Angler turns cowboy, jumps in and rides giant Mola mola	petethomasoutdoors	2013-08-02	US
3946	Belarus leader beats Putin's pike with man-sized catfish	theobserver	2013-07-31	CA
3947	Marine experts: Gulf of Maine has become a cod-forsaken place, endangering all fisheries	bangordailynews	2013-07-31	US
3948	San Diego angler still fishing at 90, catches giant yellowtail	petethomasoutdoors	2013-07-25	US
3949	Fish-farm firm awarded $75,000 in defamation ruling	theglobeandmail	2013-07-22	CA
3950	Cut Off From the Ocean by a Volcanic Eruption, These Fish Had to Learn to Live in a Lake	hakaimagazine	2021-05-03	US

157 of [218 - pages.]