July 11, 2013 — For P.E.I. lobster fishermen, it is a case of "no news is good news."
Lobster is the main species caught off Island waters — an industry that is worth approximately $54 million annually to the P.E.I. economy. Unlike its sister Maritime provinces, most of the catch falls into the category of what are commonly known as "canners." Even the P.E.I. Fishermen's Association and the provincial government admit the name doesn't exactly tempt consumer taste buds and they have been thinking about changing it. They have yet to agree, however, on a new name.
These are the smallest lobsters that can legally be caught, and the Island industry has been working to develop markets in Europe and Asia for what is essentially a niche market. They have had some success, although for the past several seasons they have been dealing with the reality of low prices due largely to the global economic downturn.
For the last six months, the Island fishery has been involved in a war of words with its counterparts in New Brunswick over carapace size. The carapace size is essentially the smallest size lobster that can legally be caught. If you are trying to develop a market for small lobsters, you want the gauge used to determine the size to be as small as possible.
If, on the other hand, you are selling larger market lobster, a bigger carapace size is desirable. The question is always thorny, and it is especially so in the fall lobster fishery in the waters of Northumberland Strait. Here, P.E.I. and New Brunswick share a fishing zone, but competing interests.
The Island fishermen feel an increase of one millimetre to 72 mm achieves both conservation of stocks and the survival of a canner fishery. Both P.E.I. and New Brunswick fishers agreed to the increase.
Then the interprovincial war broke out. New Brunswick announced it was asking federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield to increase the size another millimetre. They also wanted a commitment to increase another millimetre each year until it reached a minimum size of 77 mm.
Ashfield's response was essentially "work it out among yourselves." A series of meetings were held throughout the winter and spring, but nothing was accomplished. Then, with just a few weeks to go before the start of the season, the federal minister made an announcement.
Read the full story at the Winnipeg Free Press