CAP-PELÉ, N.B. — Russel Doiron hauls in his catch of rock crab at the wharf in Cap-Pelé in disgust. In just a few weeks, he’ll starts fishing lobster in the western Northumberland Strait when the season opens in mid-August.
“We are all going to be in a mess the same mess we were in last year.” says Doiron.
That’s because the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced Monday it is standing firm on a decision it made two years ago.
DFO plans to have the minimum legal size for lobster caught between N.B. and P.E.I. increased from 71 millimetres to only 72 millimetres for the upcoming season.
WATCH: Lobster fishing highs and lows
The decision is a disappointment for N.B fishermen who have spent last year fighting to have the size hiked up to 77 millimetres over three years.
Doiron believes the government should be increasing the size limit, to decrease catches and drive up pricing. He said that would be good for all fishermen.
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“They are not doing anything,” he said. “I mean one millimetre, where are we going to go with that?”
Doiron also said lobster processors in N.B. simply won’t buy smaller lobster any more. They prefer market sized lobster, which they ship mostly to the United States. He said that canners have become a throw back.
“I will have to bring them in if they want it. If they don’t want them, I will have to leave them in the water and the P.E.I. fisherman can go get it and sell it,” he said. “I don’t know, we are not together for sure.”
On the contrary, lobster fishermen in PEI are thrilled with the meagre one-millimetre increase. The P.E.I. Fisherman’s Association said the province has developed a niche market for the smaller canned lobsters.
Most P.E.I. lobster is shipped overseas, to customers who simply refuse to buy lobster any larger that 72 millimetres. So, for them this is a big victory.
Christian Brun, with the Maritime FishermEn’s Union, said the federal government is copping out and leaving it up to the two provinces to police themselves.
“Why do we have a department if they are not going to manage the fishery,” Brun said.
Doiron agreed. He said if the federal government doesn’t step in soon, lobster prices will continue to drop and N.B. fishermen will suffer the most.
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