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The last remaining land-border dispute between Canada and the United States has come to a boil again after U.S. patrol vessels reportedly stopped and boarded Canadian fishing boats in the disputed waters around Machias Seal Island, a windblown outcrop between New Brunswick and Maine.

Global Affairs Canada says it’s looking into the incidents, stressing that it considers the rich lobster-fishing grounds to be sovereign Canadian territory — a position mirrored by the United States.

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Rick Doucet, New Brunswick’s fisheries minister, told the National Post Wednesday that fishermen have informed him of “heavily armed” border patrol agents clambering onto lobster boats, saying they were looking for illegal immigrants.

“Is this overkill? Absolutely. Absolutely overkill,” said Doucet, whose riding includes Grand Manan Island, where the Canadian boats are based.

“It’s quite disturbing when you have fishermen on the water, doing their job, providing for their families … and they’re being harassed,” he said. “Canadian fishermen are being harassed by U.S. border patrol. As far as I’m concerned, it needs to stop immediately.”