The lobster fishing industry in the south western end of Nova Scotia has been going through heady and profitable times during the past decade.
While prices still mimicked those paid 30 years ago, the volume landed made up the difference in the all-important take home pay.
No matter that signs appear to be a bit amiss on the lobster patch, a volume versus quality mentality pervades this industry to this day — but climate change could put an abrupt end to the catching frenzy, especially in the area from Digby south to Cape Sable Island.
Recent findings from the American Lobster Settlement Index showed that baby lobsters were disappearing in the Gulf of Maine, at the same time that egg production continues to be sky-high.
This means that in the very near future, there well could be a collapse in the lobster fishery in this area, which would be devastating for both Nova Scotia and especially the State of Maine.
Rick Wahle, a University of Maine marine scientist, says the cause could be the the disappearance of a type of copepod which is a food source for the young lobsters or the increase of predators in the area.
The season opened the first week of December. As far as the quality of the meat, it could have been the first of September.
Low protein levels abounded, especially in lobsters caught offshore i.e. 20 or more miles out from the mainland and a lot of the catch ended up on processing lines.
As the Canadian product flooded the market, the pre-Christmas holiday demand weakened.
Prices weren’t that high, in the $5 to $5.75/pound range and a lot of the product couldn’t be held for any length of time in storage due to low protein levels.
The culprit was an exceeding warm summer and fall which kept water temperatures above the norm. This affected the molt and in many cases, although the carapace was rock hard, half of the space inside the claws and tails was water.
And the lobsters were scarce.
It’s hard to get a final tally at this time with the season only closed a few days when this was written, but estimates by those in the know was a 30-50 per cent drop from the previous year.
Ten years ago, fishermen in this area used to haul their gear ashore during the winter months. With the advent of super 45 and 50-foot vessels, more fishermen began to fish during the winter months, although inclement weather can limit fishing days to one a week.
This happened last winter.
Landings plummeted, but the price rose to over $9/pound, quickly dropping by a dollar because fishermen kept the catch in storage, hoping for prices to rise as has occurred in recent years. Processors only offered $5.75/pound to the live dealers due to low margins, even though the dealers had paid $8/pound for the product.
Then a flip-flop of sorts occurred — the water in the Gulf of Maine cooled and stayed cold well into May, leading to low landings because lobsters stay put when temperatures dip to a certain level.
Warm water in the fall and early winter and cold temperatures in the spring had a lot to do with lower than usual landings and the quality of the product.
And quality better be on the minds of harvesters when that trade deal between Canada and the European Union beings to take effect, because if anything, the Europeans — the largest importer of seafood in the world — demand a quality product.
Beginning this summer, CETA will be an opportunity for the Canadian lobster industry to open up a third front. The United States is still the leading customer, taking over 75 per cent of local lobsters, but with Donald Trump guiding the nation, who knows what is in store for the lobster exports, although the U.S. lobster fishery cannot satisfy its own market.
Asia, especially China, has emerged as a welcomed market for our lobsters, a market which is increasing every year.
CETA will cut almost 96 per cent of EU tariffs for fish and seafood when it begins in 2018. For example, Canadian processed lobsters presently face rates of 20 per cent. This will be phased out during a three to seven-year time frame.
Export Development Canada expects only a one per cent growth in Nova Scotia exports this year, but is looking for better figures a year from now when CETA kicks in.
