STILL MORE LOOTING:

SHIPPAGAN – Calm has returned to the fishing community of Shippagan after a weekend crab protest caused millions of dollars in damage. Rioters burned boats and buildings on Saturday, but police say the town was peaceful overnight.

Federal Fisheries Minister Robert Thibault says he was “shocked and saddened” by the arson and vandalism, but says his department bears no blame for the unrest.

The protest began on Friday night when a mob burned about 100 crab traps on the town’s wharf, and escalated on Saturday afternoon when about 250 people roamed the streets for nine hours burning boats and buildings.

The men and women were protesting Ottawa’s decision to reduce their snow crab quota and increase the number of licenses allowed to fish the lucrative species.

Thibeault says his department consulted extensively with local fishermen about the plan, and suggested another meeting with DFO officials might soothe the fears of traditional crab workers.

The RCMP, who are asking people to stay home and out of trouble, say they did not anticipate the violence, and did not have enough officers to stop the destruction.

Well, there was a war on, after all. Oh, wait. . . .