In southwest Nova Scotia the fishermen are more concerned with the prices of lobster as it will be lower than last year on opening day of the season. Cape John fisherman Keith Heighton expects to be paid less for the lobsters he lands on May 1 than what he received last season. He added that this season the price is not going to be high surely as prices are down at the other end of Nova Scotia.
The prices for the smaller canner-sized lobsters are $5 per pound and $ 6 per pound for the larger market-sized lobsters last year. Heighton said this year they are anticipating prices of about $4.50 and $5.50 respectively. According to the fishermen it won’t be very good for them because fuel is up, and bait is up and prices keeps going down.
Mike MacInnis, executive director of the P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association, told that there are a number of factors to consider as fishermen and processors agree on a price. He also said that there are rising processing costs, as well as rising costs for fishermen and he hopes both industry partners can work together for sustainability. It is said that in southwest Nova Scotia lobster fishermen are receiving about $6 per pound for markets, and do not fish the smaller canner-sized lobsters.
Denny Morrow, executive director of the Nova Scotia Fish Packer’s Association, informed that as landings pick up prices could drop to $5.50 a pound and lots of thing depends on the graph of supply and demand because the industry fluctuates every day.
