Never Underestimate the Importance of Stability
American theologian and author William G.T. Shedd once wrote “A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for.”
The May issue of The Navigator is always devoted to highlighting the inherent dangers faced by fishermen today, as well as practices and technology aimed at making it safer.
As has been the practice for the last few years, The Navigator’s editorial has opened with the names of fishermen that have been lost at sea. This year, due to the release of the recent ...
Critical Seafood Exports Showing Signs of Life
Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canadian seafood, especially lobster, is not just enjoyed by consumers around North America, but around the globe.
However, as you are aware, live lobsters don’t crawl to these foreign markets themselves. Part of the challenge for processors and buyers, notably for a live product such as lobster, is timely and efficient air cargo transportation.
Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, air shipments of live lobster from this region were on the ...
Combatting Seafood Processing Worker Shortages
The seafood industry in Atlantic Canada has an ongoing problem and it has nothing to do with quotas or fish prices.
The issue of course is lack of workers and unfortunately for processors around the region, this problem is showing no signs of getting better. And if you listen to some stakeholders, it is only going to continue to get worse before it gets better. So, how do you start to make it better?
A few years ago, The Navigator highlighted a 2019 study by Food Processing Skills Canada ...
Knowledge Itself is Power
To the surprise of few, the current season in lobster fishing areas 33–34 is turning out to be a difficult one.
Everyone involved with what is one of the world’s largest lobster fisheries knew the chips were stacked against them this year. Some have even called it a perfect storm of decreased landings, markets and prices, combined with early foul and inclement weather.
From lower shore prices, to international market uncertainty, to the back-breaking jump in inflation — these ...
IUU Fishing: Far From a Foreign Problem
With everything going in the fishery throughout Atlantic Canada, oftentimes, it is hard to take a step back and look at the global fishing picture — after all, don’t we have enough to worry about here?
However, once and while, it is a worthwhile practice to pause for a second and compare our various fisheries here with others being prosecuted around the world. While we always have our issues, for the most part, our commercial fisheries are well run, with conservation and the future top ...
Is the Retail Seafood Market About to Bounce Back?
Long before it kicked off, everyone participating in the lobster fishing area (LFA) 33–34 fishery knew 2022–23 was going to be a challenging season.
Lower shore prices, market uncertainty and record prices for bait and diesel are among some of the adversities facing harvesters this year.
Buyers and processors in Nova Scotia are also being extra cautious due to slower than normal international markets at this stage of the season. At the same time, fishermen have their calculators out ...
From Rhetoric to Real Issues
A little over a year ago, The Navigator took a deep dive into the mandate letter of newly appointed Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and Canadian Coast Guard Joyce Murray.
A mandate letter sets the table for the work and legislation each federal minister is expected to prioritize by their boss, the Prime Minister.
After a quick peruse of Minister Murray’s mandate letter, three key points dominated the Prime Minster’s marching orders: climate, the environment and Indigenous ...
Adding Insult to Injury
Author Elizabeth Edwards once wrote, “She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
With a challenging 2023 lobster season on the horizon, it looks as the though the resilient commercial fishermen in Southwest Nova Scotia might have quite a bit of metaphorical sail adjusting to do over the next six months.
Harvesters in this region are no strangers to adversity and they are certainly going to have to call upon that experience to navigate the ...
2022: A Year Not for the Record Books
As 2022 is fading out of sight in the rearview mirror, we are left shaking our collective heads thinking, what a difference a few months can make.
In March of this year, the world was emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and despite inflationary increases, things were looking up — especially for the commercial fishery in this region.
At the time, lobster fishermen in lobster fishing areas (LFAs) 33–34 off Nova Scotia were getting north of $16/pound for their catches. For their brethren ...
Ramping up the “Red List” Resistance
American author James C. Collins once said, “Bad decisions made with good intentions, are still bad decisions.”
After receiving and continuing to receive unmitigated backlash over its decision to “Red List” American lobster and Canadian snow crab, the California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium is sticking to its misguided guns — at least for now.
As everyone in the Atlantic Canadian fishing industry already knows, as part of its Seafood Watch Program, in September, the conservation ...
