Second man charged in Nova Scotia fish plant fire that destroyed Indigenous catch

MIDDLE WEST PUBNICO, N.S. (CP) – Police say a 29-year-old man has been charged with arson in relation to a fire last fall at a fish plant in southwestern Nova Scotia that destroyed the lobster catch of Mi’kmaq fishers.

In a news release today, the RCMP say Sean Roy Messenger of Shelburne County is the second person to be charged in connection with the fire at the plant in Middle West Pubnico.

Police say they arrested Messenger on Wednesday without incident and he was released on a promise to appear in court in Yarmouth on Nov. 29, to face one count of arson.

The fire that destroyed the fish plant on the night of Oct. 16, 2020 came two days after a confrontation in which about 200 non-Indigenous fishers and their supporters converged on the building.

The plant was storing lobster caught by members of the Sipekne’katik First Nation and police say nobody was inside at the time.

Police arrested 24-year-old Brendon Douglas James Porter of East Pubnico in July and charged him with arson in connection to the fire.