N.S. lobster fishing season underway, First Nation fishers to sit out

Following an unusually long delay, the commercial lobster fishing off the southwest coast of Nova Scotia finally launched early this morning.

A DFO spokesman confirmed the fishing boats left port at 4 a.m. to start the season.

READ MORE: N.S. dumping day a go for Tuesday after week-long delay due to poor weather

The so-called Dumping Day was originally scheduled for Nov. 30, but continued high winds and rough seas forced fishers to stay on land.

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Though this isn’t the first time the season has been delayed, Coldwater Lobster Association president Bernie Berry says the eight-day delay may be the longest the zone has ever experienced.

1:47 DFO pulls about 500 lobster traps from St. Mary’s Bay

Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan announced in a tweet Monday evening that conditions had been deemed safe enough for the season to launch.

While commercial fishers took to the waters, Indigenous fishers from a Mi’kmaq band in the province stayed on shore.