Challenging Season Winding Down in LFA 33/34
Above: The Ryer Lake II and the Sonia Dianne steam into the Falls Point wharf in Woods Harbour after a day on the lobster fishing grounds in LFA 34. Kathy Johnson photos
With a month to go before the traps come ashore, low landings were still being reported in lobster fishing areas (LFAs) 33 and 34.
“There’s nothing to write home about this season,” says Tommy Amirault, president of the Coldwater Lobster Association. “It’s been a tough go this spring.”
Going into ...
LFA 33–34 Fishery Ready to Ramp Back Up
Above: The Miss Kylie Anne and the Atlantic Tide steam back into port at the Falls Point wharf in Woods Harbour after a day on the lobster fishing grounds. Kathy Johnson photo
After the usual winter lull in the LFA 33–34 lobster fishery, by late March/early April the countdown will be on to the May 31 season end.
“By April most people will be back at it,” says Tommy Amirault, president of the Coldwater Lobster Association. “Where that price settles and what the ...
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 ...
Southwest Nova Lobster Season Meandering Along
With an increased demand in China and a shore price that fishermen can live with, January was a little bit brighter than the opening month of the season for the Southwestern Nova Scotia lobster fishery, but there’s still lots of uncertainty what spring will bring.
“I think things are coming along in January the way they normally come along in January,” said Tommy Amirault, president of the Coldwater Lobster Association.
“The catches have slowed down. The weather has been okay for ...
Landings, Shore Prices, Markets Down for Southwest N.S. Lobster Fishery
Above: Donnie Smith and his daughter Chrissie fish for lobster alongside the Cape Sable Island Causeway. Kathy Johnson photo
The opening month of the lobster fishery in southwestern Nova Scotia has been a perfect storm of decreased landings, markets and prices and foul weather.
“For members of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, the opening of the LFA 33 and 34 lobster season has been extremely challenging,” says executive director Leo Muise.
“Inflation, diminished ...
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 ...
Lobster Season Begins in SW Nova
With the lobster season off and running in Southwestern Nova Scotia, regulators want harvesters to be aware of the risks involved.
Vessels will be loaded with traps and gear, increasing the risk of an accident, especially in inclement weather.
“Boarding boats in the cold and dark, at the mercy of the weather and the sea, makes fishing dangerous work. Safety is a crucial priority,” said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Steve Craig.
“One tragedy is one too many, so we urge ...
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 ...
LFA 35 Fishermen “Devastated” by Opening Price
Above photo by Kathy Johnson
An opening shore price of $6 to $7/pound in lobster fishing area (LFA) 35 in the Bay of Fundy, which opened on October 14, is proving to be challenging for harvesters.
“Fishermen are saying they are devastated by the price. It’s not even a break-even price,” says Colin Sproul, president of the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen’s Association. “It’s not sustainable at that price.”
With the cost of fuel, bait, gear and boats ...
