Lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia fear they’ll be paid half of what they received for their catches last year. Fishing season is under process and lobster fishermen in the region have taken drastic steps to improve market conditions, including a vote last week to outlaw Sunday fishing. The authority put complete ban on lobster fishing on Sunday in ports namely, Baccaro, Shelburne County, west to Digby.
Ian Marshall, an area director with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, expressed that it is an industry-driven initiative to reduce fishing effort. He added that the consensus on the decision was strong with 16 of the 18 regional fishermen’s representatives voting to ban Sunday fishing. It is said that the fishermen and DFO will meet again via conference call on Dec. 7 to review the status of the lobster fishery.
It is fact that the season in southwestern Nova Scotia is the most lucrative lobster fishery in the Maritimes, with landed lobster values for 2006 totalling $250 million. According to Fisheries and Oceans there is also talk this year of splitting the season by tying up the fleet for several weeks, beginning in January.
Experts said that the demand for lobster in Europe and in the United States as well as the price fishermen receive will help determine if the season will be adjusted. Digby-Annapolis MLA Harold Theriault, himself a former lobster fisherman, told that the fishermen are going to find it a hard season. The fishermen are talking about shutting it down at the first of January. He added that is all goes well, the boats could go to sea for another few days and again try to sell what they come back with.
