May 2 2001 MONCTON, N.B. CBC News NB Natives prepare for lobster season under their own rules Lobster fishermen from Burnt Church have started the spring season. The reserve was at the centre of a conflict over fishing rights last fall. That's not expected again this spring but that doesn't mean the issue is resolved. Hundreds of non-native fishers are already dropping traps in the waters of north-eastern New Brunswick. The situation is almost idyllic compared to the tempers that flared last year. For two months, natives, non-natives and fisheries officials clashed over a Supreme Court decision on treaty fishing rights. The spring season promises to be much calmer than last fall. One reason is there are only 17 native fishers with commercial licences out of the hundreds on the water. Another reason is spring isn't the traditional time for the native fishery. That happens in the fall. "Our people have been fishing at that time of year for time immemorial," says native activist Brian Bartibogue. Bartibogue says the Burnt Church band fishes by its own rules, refusing to follow federal plans. "We as native people, as first peoples, have a right to dictate our pace, our development and our resource management." Each party in this dispute has not budged. Ottawa wants Burnt Church to sign on to a federal management plan. Non-natives want everyone to fish by the same rules. "The mediators and facilitators have spoken with both interests in this issue," says RCMP Sgt. Francois Bidel "We continue to monitor that situation and to promote discussion. " The RCMP hope there will be no stand-off this fall. But just in case, they have have turned one building into a command post. It will have rooms for communications and tactical units. But Bidel says he hopes it will never be used. " We are focusing on a peaceful resolution to the issues at hand so we hope in essence that we never have to use this in terms of having an operational centre. " But the centre is in place, just in case tempers clash again when the crucial fall fishing season begins.