Fisheries Organizations have issued a joint call for provincial and federal fisheries ministers to deal with the devastating lobster market collapse, which is threatening the survival of thousands of small fishing enterprises throughout the Atlantic region. Members of the FFAW/CAW in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Maritime Fishermen’s Union (MFU) in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the PEI Fishermen’s Association, the Regroupement des Pêcheurs professionnels du Nord de la Gaspésie in Québec, the Gulf Nova Scotia Bonafide Fishermen’s Association, the Northumberland Fishermen’s Coalition and the Gulf Nova Scotia Fishermen’s Coalition in Nova Scotia.
These groups and organizations are urgently calling for the government to intervene in the wake of reports that lobster prices in the days ahead could fall as low as $2.75-$3.50 per pound. FFAW Secretary Treasurer David Decker told that they are looking at prices that we haven’t seen in 20 to 30 years — this has the potential to destroy the Atlantic lobster fishery, along with the harvesters and communities that depend on it to survive.
Christian Brun of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union (MFU) also comments that it is the first time that lobster industry face such a situation. Atlantic Canada fish harvester organizations collectively realize that government has ignored the Atlantic Canada fishing industry and the economic benefits it has the capacity to generate. As a result the harvester organizations in Atlantic Canada have united to work on solutions to the economic crisis facing their industry.
The Atlantic fisheries organizations demand the provincial and federal ministers to work with them to find solutions to help harvesters survive this year. They also want that the governments should develop a longer term plan to ensure the future viability of the Atlantic lobster industry through improved marketing and rationalization.
