Most of the fishermen feel that they would have been happier had the rise in lobster prices come earlier in the season. They allege buyers are working together to set prices and rake in huge profits. Rick Clattenburg, Captain of the Ace of Spades out of Moose Harbour, told that he is now down about $30,000 to $35,000. He added that the buyers are making huge profit even if every owner lost that amount, millions and millions of dollars.
According to industry spokesman early last week the price fishermen were getting for their catch climbed from $3.25 a pound to around $6.25. Seeing the price increase at this time of the year is nothing new. But usually the increase has been more of a gradual rise. The price tends not to double in one swoop. Fishermen were questioning the sudden jump in price, given the size of it.
Clattenburg opined that the fishermen are wild. They think the buyers got together because they knew there would be a big burst of lobsters this year. He also questions, which the federal fisheries department has also announced it is investigating buyers’ claims the market for lobsters was soft at the start of the season.
Richard Broome, Captain of Richard Ann out of Port Mouton, expects fishermen will get together this summer to discuss the situation, possibly with government officials. Denny Morrow, executive director of the Nova Scotia Fish Packers Association, said that there had been good sales that took care of a lot of the inventory that was on hand for Christmas and New Year.
