The fishermen of Prince Edward Island called for changes to EI and minimum lobster price as a marathon seven-hour meeting between federal and provincial fisheries officials on the lobster crisis was in vain. P.E.I. Fisheries Minister Neil LeClair, federal Deputy Fisheries Minister Claire Dansereau, as well as representatives of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and ACOA, were in the long run meeting on Thursday, May 7. They were joined that evening by fishermen and processors from P.E.I. and New Brunswick along with representatives of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Associations.
LeClair admitted that nothing concrete had been determined and short-term solutions may be hard to find. He told that short-term help is still quote an issue to figure out. It is said that the fishermen are calling for a minimum lobster price and changes to Employment Insurance (EI) legislation that will ensure lobster fishermen will receive EI, even if they don’t have enough hours to qualify under existing laws.
Low-interest loans are also on the list of consideration. Kenny Drake, a fisherman from Red Head and president of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association, said it would naive to expect immediate answers. Fishermen were back on the water Thursday and buyers lifted the 500-pound daily catch limit. But processors warned the cap could be put back in place, depending on demand for Island lobster. Fishermen’s worst fears were also realized when it came to prices.
Island Senator Catherine Callbeck said that the lobster industry is in major crisis as the prices are very low and some fishers cannot even sell their catch. He asked if the federal government plans to put in place a lobster licence buy-back program — something that the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association has been lobbying for — but the leader of the government in the Senate, Marjory LeBreton, only said she would bring Callbeck’s concerns to the attention of the Fisheries minister.
