Lobster Outlook 2015

A look ahead to the opening of the LFA 34 lobster ﬁshery
off Southwestern Nova Scotia
2015 Lobster
Fishing Outlook

2 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
The experienced business lenders at your
locally owned Credit Union understand
our local fishing industry.
• License Financing • Boat Financing
Have a safe and prosperous season!
7125890
Meteghan Church Point
(902) 645-2661 (902) 769-3132
Yarmouth Wedgeport
(902) 742-2123 (902) 663-2525
Tusket West Pubnico
(902) 648-2322 (902) 762-2372
www.coastalfinancial.ca www.caissepopclare.ca
Copyright and/or property rights subsist in all advertising and in other materials appearing in this edition
of Lobster Outlook 2015. Permissions to reproduce wholly or in any form whatsoever, particularly by
photographic or offset process in a publication, must be obtained in writing from the publisher.
is a publication of Transcontinental Media
Tel: 902-742-7111 • Fax: 902-742-6527
Yarmouth
Tel: 902-875-3244 • Fax: 902-875-3454
Shelburne
Editor ..................................................Tina Comeau
Development / Sales Manager ............. Al Simpson
Production & Design ....................... Myla Doucette
Sales
Pat Dempsey ...................902-749-2516
Ken Nicholl .....................902-749-2505
Tara Manthorne ..............902-749-2517
2 Second Street, Yarmouth, NS B5A 4B1
www.novanewsnow.com
2015
Lobsterseasoncountdown
LFA 34 season slated to open Nov. 30
By Tina Comeau
TC MEDIA
‘Tis the season in southwestern Nova
Scotia. It’s that time of the year when
another commercial lobster season will
be getting underway.
Unlessdelayedbyweather(orchanged
due to a majority vote by industry) the
lobster season in lobster fishing area
(LFA) 34 – which takes in all of Yarmouth
County and parts of Shelburne and Digby
counties – always kicks off the last Mon-
day of November.
This year the opening day falls on Nov.
30.
Opening day is also known as dump-
ing day. It’s the day that captains and
their crews leave wharfs at 6 a.m. in this
fishing district to dump their traps at
sea – hoping for good catches when they
haul them back up.
There are around 980 licence holders
in LFA 34. With boats weighed down
with hundreds of traps, buoys, rope and
other gear, the opening of the season
is seen as risky. Because of this, several
resources in the air and on the sea will
be deployed to provide assistance in the
event of a vessel breakdown, or worse.
This includes Coast Guard and DFO ves-
sels and military aircraft.
The neighbouring LFA 33, which runs
along the south shore of Nova Scotia,
also opens on Nov. 30 (their season gets
underway at 7 a.m.) and so resources will
be tasked along the south shore as well.
Lobster seasons don’t always get off
to a smooth or an easy start in this part
of the province. Sometimes it’s due to
concern over lobster prices, often it’s
because of the weather, namely strong
winds. Protocol for LFA 34 says boats
won’t leave the wharf if winds are 25
knots or more.
Last year was the second consecu-
tive year that the season that was to
supposed to start on Monday didn’t get
underway until Saturday because of the
weather.
Seafood is big business in Canada.
In 2014, Canada exported $4.9 billion of
fish and seafood products, an increase of
$517 million from 2013. Canada’s largest
exports by species were lobster, snow/
queen crab, shrimp and farmed Atlantic
salmon. In 2014, these species repre-
sented 63 percent ($3.1 billion) of the
total value of exports and 46 percent (262
thousand tonnes) of the total volume of
fish and seafood exports.
Lobster remains Canada’s top export
species in terms of value, with $1.5 billion
of exports in 2014.
The majority of lobster caught here is
exported to the United States. China, and
Asia overall, is becoming a fast growing
market for the live and processed lobster
sectors. According to the Lobster Coun-
cil of Canada, this year China has sur-
passed its imported value of live lobster
from Canada. Executive director Geoff
Irvine says as of the end of August the
figure stood at $68 million.
When it comes to lobster
landings in southwestern
Nova Scotia, the Department
of Fisheries and Oceans says
preliminary figures show
that during the 2014-2015
LFA 34 season, there was
22,452,477 (round) kilograms
of lobster landed, or 22,452
tonnes. The landed value was
$285,137,865.
This will be the first season
that the LFA 34 fishery is MSC
certified – an announcement
that was made in July. Marine
Stewardship Council (MSC)
certification demonstrates
that a fishery is well managed
and environmentally sustain-
able. It is considered vital in
building and maintaining
markets in North America,
Europe and Asia as this type
of certification is the stan-
dard being sought.
Another thing that has
happened since the last com-
mercial lobster fishery came to a close is
the release of Fishing Safety Now – a plan
aimed at making Nova Scotia’s commer-
cial fishing industry safer.
Fishing Safety Now is a plan devel-
oped by the Safe at Sea Alliance – a group
of fishermen, family members, industry,
safety organizations, community leaders,
and government. The plan includes sev-
eral recommendations to help improve
safety and continues to be worked on
and implemented.
As for the lobster season that is soon
getting underway, it will come to an end
on May 31, 2016.
In advance of the season start, Yvon Boudreau works on lobster traps at the Yarmouth Bar. (Note the Montreal Canadiens logo on
the boat. Even the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t catch a break at the wharf.) TINA COMEAU PHOTO

LobsterOutlook|November24,2015Dixon’s Marine has a strong, dedicated team which gives us the backbone needed to
strive above and beyond our competition! We build quality boats designed to be more
efficient and also have the strength to fish in any weather. For 30+ years Dixon’s have
been supplying fishermen with quality, durable and efficient boats, and we look
forward to building yours next!
Call today for your custom quote! (902) 723-2878
jdixon@dixonsmarine.com www.dixonsmarine.com
Dixon’s Marine would like to wish everyone a safe and prosperous season!
DIXON’S MARINE GROUP 2000 INC.
ine has a strong, dedicated team which gives us the backbone n
and beyond our competition! We build quality boats designed t
d also have the strength to fish in any weather. For 30+ years D
upplying fishermen with quality, durable and efficient boats, an
uilding yours next!
ON’S MARINE GROUP 2000 I
Call today for your custom quote! (902) 723-2878
xonsmarine.com www.dixonsmarine
ine would like to wish everyone a safe and prosperou
trong, dedicated team which gives us the backbone needed to
d our competition! We build quality boats designed to be more
the strength to fish in any weather. For 30+ years Dixon’s
shermen with quality, durable and efficient boats, and we look
urs next!
MARINE GROUP 2000 INC.
for your custom quote! (902) 723-2878
ne.com www.dixonsmarine.com
7125554

4 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
Phone (902)762-2595
Fax (902)762-3449
3404 Highway 3,
Lower Argyle, N.S. B0W 1W0
Email: wwtraps@eastlink.ca
“Catch higher
with Wade’s Wire”
Distributors of
Aquamesh and Cavatorta
We now accept Visa and Mastercard
After 30+ years in business, we have the experience
needed to be trusted with your trap needs.
Drop in or call us today and check out our
AMERICAN TRAPS and competitive prices!
Also, inquire about our
Lobster Pound HOLDING CAGES
7123753
Wishing all our
Lobster Fishermen a
Safe and Prosperous
Season
7125303
RegisteRed dealeR
• Cummins • Volvo-Penta • Fleetguard • Gates • Twin Disc • ZF • Wagner
mechanic shop
• Installation • Overhaul • Troubleshooting • Maintenance
• Hydraulic Design and Repair
• All makes vane, gear and centrifugal pumps overhaul
• Gear boxes and controls
cWB ceRtified Welding and
faBRication shop
• Steel, aluminum, stainless steel plate, piping systems,
A-frames, tanks, hull installations & repairs
• Plasma cutting services • TIG welding offered
• Marine Engineering services available
machine shop
• Precision & specialty machining • Shaft straightening up to 4” diameter
electRical shop
• Full service including megger testing for C.S.I. inspections
330 ton maRine RailWay
• Dry docking • Underwater hull repairs
• Fiberglass, sandblast, paint & carpentry repairs
moBile seRvice
• Mechanical, Hydraulic, Welding, & Electrical
• Certified 17 Ton Boom truck & Operator
Lobster:BuildingtheCanadaBrand
By Vanessa MacNeil
TC•Media
As fishermen in southwestern Nova
Scotia prepare their traps for the late
November season, the Lobster Council
of Canada is working to expand interna-
tional lobster markets.
In 2014, the council launched the
Canada Brand in response to growing
international recognition of the high
quality of Canadian lobster. The Unit-
ed States has always recognized this,
says executive director Geoff Irvine,
but demand is growing substantially in
China, Japan, the UK and Spain. South
Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong and the
Netherlands are also new markets that
the council is seeing strength in.
“With the growth in landings over the
last 10 years, there have been many new
markets developed, both in terms of
geography and market segment in both
retail and foodservice,” says Irvine.
Export markets, he says, value Can-
ada’s rigorous food safety standards,
its leading work on traceability and
sustainability, and Canadian’s image as
trustworthy people.
“The fact that Canadian lobster is
wild caught, healthy, versatile, is deli-
cious and is associated with celebra-
tion is additional equity for the Canada
brand,” Irvine says in a statement on the
Lobster Council of Canada’s website.
The Canada Brand was launched in
March 2014, and although there has
been promising response to it, the mar-
ket has challenges ahead. Maine lobster
is a major competitor, Irvine says, and a
combination of the increased process-
ing capacity in Maine and a shortage of
labour in the Canadian processing sec-
tor means that the Canadian market has
its work cut out for it.
According to Irvine, about 60 per
cent of Canada’s international export of
lobster products is processed and 40 per
cent are live lobsters.
Warming ocean temperatures also
affect the health, size and number of
lobster available as populations move
to cooler waters and the breeding cycle
is affected.
A weak dollar and competition from
other premium proteins that are invest-
ing in marketing and promotion add to
the challenges that Canadian lobster is
facing.
“We know from extensive research
that world markets seek out and appre-
ciate the Canadian brand, so the Lob-
ster Council of Canada continues to
promote a focus on branding lobster as
‘Canadian’,” says Irvine.
Market growth has been strong,
despite challenges, and the new nation-
al branding will help to move that mar-
ket forward, he says.
“To ensure that this work is effective
and enduring, we need to find consen-
sus from all sectors and regions of the
industry on how to fund a comprehen-
sive strategic marketing and promotion
campaign to focus on the Canadian
lobster brand,” says Irvine.
A lobster enters a trap underwater. Efforts are always ongoing to see the product entering more markets.

5ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
7123745
“Just 7 money saving minutes from Yarmouth”
foraSafe&SuccessfulSeason!
Tusket Ford
At the Tusket Interchange off Hwy. 103
www.tusketford.ca
Toll free 1-877-820-0411
648-2600
7125854
Yarmouth KIA
150 Starrs Rd. Ph: (902) 749-2300 1-888-421-5199 www.yarmouthkia.com
Wishing our
Lobster
Fishermen
a Safe &
Prosperous
Season!
ADM - D+D and all taxes extra.
2015 KIA Cadenza
$
8,500 off Purchase Price
K15130
By Tina Comeau
TC•Media
The Bay of Fundy, Scotian Shelf and
southern Gulf of St. Lawrence lobster trap
fishery in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
has achieved certification to the Marine
Stewardship Council (MSC), the Lobster
Council of Canada announced this past
summer.
“Achieving MSC certification is a key
piece of our brand story as it shows that a
third party has confirmed that the fishery
is sustainable,” says Geoff Irvine, execu-
tive director of the council. “Having this
certification is vital for building and main-
taining markets in Europe, North America
and increasingly in Asia.”
It was announced in July that all LFAs
(lobster fishing areas) in NS and NB (LFAs
23, 25 and 26, 27 to 33, 34 and 35 to 38) are
now MSC certified. There are still condi-
tions that need to be met that Irvine says
will require some level of action by the
harvesters.
“The condition that will require the
most engagement, and possible action
by the harvesters, is the one that involves
implementing harvest control rules that
will reduce exploitation rates if the limit
reference point is reached,” he says.
Other conditions involve documenting
bycatch, developing a research plan and
showing that the lobster fishery is less-
ening its reliance on northwest Atlantic
mackerel as a bait species.
“We are currently working with DFO
to see how the conditions line up with
work already underway, and then on a
communication and outreach plan to
explain this to the harvester associations
and groups and make a four-year action
plan,” says Irvine.
He says consultations will be set up
and harvesters will be engaged in the pro-
cess through their associations and other
bodies.
SAI Global, an independently accred-
ited certifier, assessed this fishery against
the MSC standard. During the assessment
the three principles of the MSC fishery
standard were evaluated in detail: the
status of the fish stock, the impact of
the fishery on the marine ecosystem and
the management system overseeing the
fishery.
The fishery is now able to bear the blue
MSC ecolabel, which demonstrates that
lobsters sourced from this industry come
from a well-managed, environmentally
sustainable source.
Irvine says the latest certifications
brings about 97 per cent of the Canadian
lobster industry into the MSC program.
LFAs yet to be approved are in Newfound-
land and Labrador.
Asked what the benefits to this certifi-
cation are for LFA 34, Irvine says, “For live
shippers selling in Germany, the UK and
Europe, the MSC program is important
to build and maintain market share. For
the processing sector that sells lobster
meat and other products in the retail and,
increasingly, food service sectors in North
America and Europe the MSC program
is a vital part of their marketing and is as
important as food safety certification.”
In a media release issued by the Lob-
ster Council of Canada, Eugene O’Leary,
President of the Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick Lobster Eco-Certification
Society, says, “Attaining MSC certifica-
tion is a tremendous accomplishment
for the Canadian lobster industry. . . It
helps ensure the long-term viability of the
resource and favorably positions the larg-
est lobster fishery in Canada in growing
international markets.”
Lobster fishery achieves MSC certification
QUICK GLANCE
About MSC certification
MSC ecolabeling demonstrates a fishery is
well managed and environmentally sustain-
able.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an
international non-profit organization set up
to help transform the seafood market to a
sustainable basis. In total, 373 fisheries are
engaged in the MSC program with 259 cer-
tified and 114 under full assessment.
Fisheries already certified, or in full assess-
ment, record annual catches of around
11 million metric tonnes of seafood. This
represents around 12 per cent of the annual
global harvest of wild capture fisheries.
Worldwide, more than 27,000 seafood
products, which can be traced back to the
certified sustainable fisheries, bear the blue
MSC ecolabel.
For more information on the work of the
MSC, visit www.msc.org
A lobster vessel enters
Pinkney’s Point harbour
during a recent end to the
commerciallobsterseason.
TINA COMEAU PHOTO

6 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
138 Starrs Road, Yarmouth
Ph: 902-742-3511
7125531
Wishing All Our Fishermen
a Safe & Prosperous Season
• Eastland Kitchens
• GE Appliances
• Jeld-Wen Windows
& Doors
•Plumbing
• Electrical
• Power tools
• Lumber
• Rooﬁng
• Flooring
• Wood stoves
“We’ve Got Your Lumber”
7125536
We wish you much success and a
Safe Lobster Fishing Season
Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Electronics
136 Haley Road, Yarmouth
902-742-7604
7129754
Your Locally
Owned
Hours
Mon. - Thurs 9 am - 6 pm
Fri. - 9 am - 9 pm
Sat. - 9 am - 5 pm
Canada’s
Only
Furniture
SuperStore
Locally owned and operated by SKY-TEC Electronics Ltd.
Tracking juvenile lobsters
By Tina Comeau
TC•Media
There’s been a bit of inconsistency
in the results over the past three years
from juvenile lobster research that’s
gone on in western Nova Scotia.
Each year researchers collect sam-
ples of juvenile lobsters from the ocean
floor in Lobster Bay in Yarmouth Coun-
ty and St. Mary’s Bay in Digby County to
track levels of juvenile lobster.
Three years ago scientists said there
were “troubling signs.”
Last year they said sampling had
yielded the highest levels ever.
This year the numbers aren’t as high
as they were last year.
“The numbers were definitely lower
than last year,” says DFO research sci-
entist Adam Cook. “They’re more on par
with what we’ve seen in past years, so it
is uncertain as to what that means.”
In fact, says Cook, the true story
won’t be known until years down the
road.
It takes, on average, seven years for
a settled lobster larvae to reach the
fishery. Still, DFO scientists have been
saying in recent years that the stock
and landings remain at an all-time high.
But what about the future?
“Under a long-term monitoring pro-
gram like this we hopefully can get a
better picture of what’s coming down
the pipe for the future and be able to get
a better handle on lobster production,”
Cook says.
The lobster larvae – hatched from
lobster eggs – that researchers are pull-
ing up to the surface in collectors from
the ocean floor looks just like adult
lobsters, except that you could hold a
bunch of them in the palm of your hand.
Cook notes the research done last
year was on newly settled larvae, which
is why the numbers were higher.
Asked what is done with the data
that is collected, Cook says researchers
compile it and look for trends.
“We see if there is any relationship
with any other variables, environmental
conditions, or anything else that may
help to explain why the numbers are up
or down,” he says. “But we mainly are
just trying to keep track of the trends
and see if anything is correlating with
those trends.”
He says the research is always con-
ducted in the same areas so things can
be compared from year to year.
Manypeopletakepartintheresearch,
including DFO and the Bedford Insti-
tute of Oceanography, the Fishermen
Scientists Research Society and local
fishermen whose boats are chartered to
carry out the research.
Cook says the program will continue
for the foreseeable future, and the hope
is the research will continue for the long
term.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to keep
this program for a while,” he says.
Especially since the ultimate results
and data of the research are still many
years away.
Several juvenile lobsters are held in hands during research carried out to study the stock. CHERYL DENTON PHOTO

7ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
2 Locations to serve you
902-769-0706 Church Point 902-245-6565 Digby
1-800-565-1484 1-877-601-6565
www.belliveaumotorsford.com
Our Best Wishes to all fishermen during the 2015/2016
Lobster Season from your friends at Belliveau MotorsLobster Season from your friends at Belliveau MotorsLobster Season from your friends at Belliveau Motors
2016 Ford F-250
7125544
HOURS:
MON-FRI: 7:30 AM-5:30 PM
SAT: 8:00 AM-5PM
Locally
Owned &
Operated
191 Pleasant St.,
Yarmouth, NS
902-742-9181
www.pleasantsupplies.com
Best Wishes for a
Safe & Prosperous
Lobster Season
from all of us at
To everyone involved in the local lobster industry:
Best Wishes
for a
safe and prosperous
season!
Helping you see
beyond numbers
The Jackson Building,
230 Main Street
Yarmouth, N.S.
(902)742-2333
7125295
CRT Seafoods Ltd
1943 Newellton, Hwy 320
Shelburne Co., NS B0W 1P0
Leonard Nickerson 902-635-0774
Dealers in live lobster. We wish all
fishermen a prosperous and successful season
Call Jeremy 902-637-7728
Bobby 902-635-0056
Chris 902-635-2000
7142558
CHINA AND ASIA
FAST-GROWING
MARKETS
China, and Asia in general, continues to
be a fast growing market for the live and
processed lobster sectors, says the Lobster
Council of Canada.
According to the council’s executive
director Geoff Irvine, China has already
surpassed last year in imported value of live
lobster from Canada. As of the end of August
the figure stood at $68 million Canadian.
“A new and growing distribution method
via e-commerce platforms like JD.com, TMall
and Gfresh is revolutionizing how products
are bought and sold in the fast growing
Chinese market,” said Irvine.
In general, the live lobster market from
Canada is showing a strong growth year
in 2015, with overall exports as of the end
of August (the latest reporting period for
Statistics Canada) sitting at $563 million.
MARKETING
STRATEGY
The development of a
marketing strategy for
Canadian lobster was a
recommendation of the
Maritime Lobster Panel
(MLP) Report and the
Independent Review of
the PEI Lobster Fishery.
After careful
consultation with the
industry and research on best
practices in other sectors, the marketing
strategy was completed in January 2015.
The Lobster Council of Canada says the
spinoff from investment in generic marketing
is compelling. For instance, the beef industry
has shown that for every dollar invested in
generic marketing and research the return on
investment is nine fold throughout the value
chain.
ABOUT LOBSTERS
Lobsters are among the largest marine
crustaceans. They are also the longest-living
crustaceans, capable of reaching ages of up
to 50 years.
Lobsters are active hunters, feeding on a
variety of animals, including crab, shellfish,
marine worms, starfish, sea urchins and fish.
Larval and post-larval lobsters are prone to
predation by crabs and finfish species.
When outside their burrows, juveniles are
prey for many fish species. Lobsters become
less vulnerable to predation as they grow,
except during moulting periods when they
shed their hard outer shell.
News
washed ashore
industry and research on best
practices in other sectors, the marketing

8
Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
Proudly supports the local Lobster
Fishermen of SouthWest Nova
and wishes them a safe and
prosperous season.
Nothin’Fancy
Furniture Warehouse
The
proof
is in the
price!
558 Main St. Yarmouth
(902)742-3920
39 Water St., Digby
(902) 378-3088
OPEN
7 DAYS
A WEEK!
7126846
Wishing our
Local Fishermen
A Safe and
Prosperous
Season.
Proud providers of diesel fuel
for District 34 Fishermen
West Nova Fuels
211 Water St.,
Yarmouth
(902) 742-5450
20 Falls Point Road,
Woods Harbour
(902) 723-2455
218 Victoria St.,
Digby
(902) 245-2202
91 Falls Lane,
Shelburne
(902) 875-3711
7125306
7134710
We salute those involved in the lobster fishing industry.
Have a safe season!
K & N Fisheries Limited
Processing plant for fresh, salted, dried
groundfish. Exporter of live lobster.
Kirk Nickerson, Greg Nickerson
Ph: (902) 768-2478
Fax: (902) 768-2385
Box 3A2, 130 Seal Point Rd.,
Upper Port La Tour, N.S. B0W 3N0
Bigger boats causing building boom in Nova Scotia
By Greg Bennett
TC•Media
A growing demand for larger lobster
boats is seeing busy boat building shops
across western Nova Scotia these days.
Nova Scotia Boat Building Association
President Glen Alyward says a low Cana-
dian dollar, falling fuel prices and higher
lobster prices have led to a boom in the
industry.
“I’d say every boat shop is busy for at
least the next year . . . some for two,” said
Alyward.
Earlier this month Alyward’s shop in
Clark’s Harbour was in the midst of put-
ting the finishing touches on a new lob-
ster boat. The 29-foot-wide boat is almost
50 feet long and it was expected to go out
the shop doors just in time for the fall
lobster season.
The vessel represents some of the larg-
est in the area.
It’s a trend, said Alyward.
Lobster fishermen want larger boats.
They want larger capacity, multi-purpose
fishing vessels that offer more stable
working platforms in the rough seas of
late November and early December off
western Nova Scotia.
• Continued on page 9
A new lobster boat hits the water in Shelburne Harbour last year. More large boats will be entering the water prior to the start of this fall season. Greg Bennett photo
“I’d say every boat
shop is busy for at least
the next year . . .
some for two.”
Nova Scotia Boat Building Association President
Glen Alyward

9ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
We would like
to take this
opportunity
to wish all the
South West Nova
Lobster Fishermen in this
upcoming season a Safe
and Prosperous Season.
For berthage info. call
wharfinger
902-740-7093
68 Water Street, Yarmouth
Ph. 902-742-1803
cmoulaison@yaic.ca
7128822
We would like to wish
All The Best to all
lobster fisherman
in the 2015/2016
Lobster Season and a
Safe and Bountiful Catch.
PierceFisheries
Box 250 Lockeport, NS
B0T 1L0
7125893
• Continued from page 8
The boat building boom is good news
for the industry in Nova Scotia – but
there are challenges, including finding
enough people to work in the now busy
workshops.
“Everyone is looking for people,” said
Alyward.
He notes that the future of boatbuild-
ing will need a new generation to take up
the cause.
“A lot of us are getting older too . . .
and it doesn’t seem we have enough new
blood coming in.”
Wharf woes
Larger boats are causing problems for
small harbours across southwestern Nova
Scotia, though.
Shelly Hipson, a Harbour Supervisor at
two wharves in Shelburne County – Low-
er Sandy Point and Ingomar – says she is
witnessing a capacity crisis at wharves
across the region as a result.
Hipson, who has written a letter to fed-
eral and local officials over the issue, said
she receives monthly requests from fish-
ermen looking for a wharf to berth their
lobster vessel, or receives news that fish-
ermen are expanding their vessel width
and length.
The situation is exacerbated during
storms, and she notes that many fisher-
men can’t tie up the larger vessels in
stormy weather and feel that their boat
is safe.
“The structures that they are tied too
are old and not built for these larger ves-
sels,” she said.
While area wharves have received
money from government for repairs and
basic upkeep, Hipson said the larger prob-
lem is not being addressed or even con-
sidered.
“We need a plan in order to accommo-
date these bigger vessels safely. We need
the space,” she said. “We need new and
strong structures.”
Bigger Boats...
One of the larger boats tied up at the Ingomar wharf makes jest of its large girth. Greg Bennett photo

10 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
BY CARLA ALLEN
WWW.THEVANGUARD.CA
Lobster fishing has evolved enormous-
ly over the decades, with changes in regu-
lations, boats, markets and gear.
One of the differences is the transition
from traditional wooden lobster fishing
traps to wire.
The wooden traps are now sought by
tourists as souvenirs of a bygone era.
Wire traps began to replace wooden
lath traps in the late 1970s for a number
of reasons. The wire traps require less
maintenance and are lighter out of water
than wet wooden traps – yet they are
heavier in the water. This makes them
easier to manoeuvre out of the ocean and
more stable in the water.
Wooden traps were also susceptible to
attack from shipworms when not dried
properly for off-season storage.
After learning of the wire lobster
traps invention in New England in the
early 1970s, businessmen Louie Vacon,
Edward Vacon, John Vacon and Bill
Reeves tried introducing them to south-
western Nova Scotia lobster fishermen.
Early attempts were met with skepti-
cism, but after years of persistence from
V&R Traps, local fishermen came aboard
with the idea that “Wire was the future.”
Years later, others have followed V&R
Traps of Yarmouth into the trap-build-
ing business while the original, family-
owned business continues to thrive. The
operation, now owned by Chris and Judy
Bishara and Louie Vacon Jr., is located
at 15 Hardscratch Rd. in Yarmouth. It
operates a seasonal Christmas shop next
door.
BUSY TIMES
About 15 years ago V&R Traps became
a 12-month operation. In late October,
with a month left to go before the LFA 34
lobster season was set to start, staff was
hard at work building traps.
A dozen people are employed year-
round, but during busier times, up to 18
are employed.
Chris Bishara says this year it was
easy to find the extra workers.
“We have a really good crew. Previous
years it’s been really hard. I don’t know
if it’s maybe more people from out west
coming home or what it is,” he said.
• Continued on page 11
WiredtogoatV&RTraps
Chrystal Deveau works at
adding netting to a trap.
CARLA ALLEN PHOTO
Cement hardens in place after
being poured for ballast.
CARLA ALLEN PHOTO

11ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
7125540
from the
Warden & Councillors
Municipality of the District of Argyle
902-648-2311
Tusket, Yarmouth Co. NS
www.munargyle.com
Best Wishes for a
Safe & Prosperous
Season
Best Wishes for a
Safe & Prosperous
Season
7130419
Wired...
• Continued from page 10
In the working area, metal fasteners
are crimped to connect sheets of the
aqua mesh, holes are cut and netting is
placed inside.
Buyers have a multitude of options to
choose from, including type of ballast,
netting, aqua mesh colour and other
variables.
Why are there so many lobster trap
colours? V&R sells red, white, green,
black, yellow, blue, lime, grey and other
shades.
“Why do cars have different colours?”
smiles Bishara.
“I think what it is, is they have confi-
dence in what they’re doing. Some peo-
ple like the colour blue. They’ll wear blue
clothes and drive a blue car and they’ll
want blue traps. You take a trap and you
put bait in it and you put it where the
lobsters are and they will come,” he said.
When asked how many traps he sells,
he says simply, “We do our share.”
The cost per trap can double during
the manufacturing process, depending
on what alterations are specified.
“There’s no such thing as a standard
trap,” he said. For example, although
most traps are built incorporating local
wood like ash, oak, maple and yellow
birch, some orders feature wood from
Indonesia that is comparative to teak
and worm-resistant.
Other orders have galvanized, coated
cast iron for ballast instead of the com-
mon small concrete puddle poured to
harden on the bottom of the mesh. Some
fishermen request plastic on the corners
of the trap to help extend the lifespan.
V&R ships orders to Quebec, New
Brunswick, Newfoundland and P.E.I.
Traps are essential to lobster fishing
and fishermen who are doing well tend
to replace their traps more often.
“They’re upgrading all the time,” Bis-
hara said.
ABOVE: Tyler Amon fastens panels of
aqua mesh together at V&R Traps.
CARLA ALLEN PHOTO
LEFT: Darrell Fevens applies some of the
final touches in the production line.
CARLA ALLEN PHOTO

12 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
OPEN: • 8 am - 6 pm Mon. - Sat. • 9 am - 6 pm Sunday
H.V. Anthony’s
285 Highway #1 Dayton
Ph: 742-5148
Best Wishes
for a Safe &
Successful
Season
7126319
7132570
103 Starrs Road, Yarmouth, NS B5A 2T6
Tel: (902) 749-0929 | Fax: (902) 749-0523
admin@questauto.ca | www.questauto.ca
BEST WISHES
FOR A SAFE &
PROSPEROUS
SEASON
See us for all your
• Diesel Fuel • Lubricants
• Hydraulic Fluids
Ph: (902) 742-4976 Fax: (902) 742-6790
www.gatewayfuels.com 7130978
7129559
259 Pleasant St.
Yarmouth
902-742-6911
• Windshield repair
• Household Glass
• Accessories
• Automotive Accessories
• Rust Block
www.speedyglass.ca 7129546
41 Industrial Dr.
Digby
902-245-5772
Grand Prize Draw March 13, 2015Grand Prize Draw March 13, 2015Grand Prize Draw March 13, 2015Grand Prize Draw March 13, 2015Grand Prize Draw March 13, 2015Grand Prize Draw March 13, 2015
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
50,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,00050,000• 55 Winners of $1,200
• 4 Winners of $5,000
• 2 Winners of $12,500
• 1 Winner of $3,000
plus
Tickets $
130
Spin to win December 12 • Ask about 50/50 Add On!
Visit the Y-12 Shop in the Yarmouth Mall or call (902)742-1217 Toll Free 1-855-372-8177
7129535
Wishing our Lobster Fishermen a
Safe and Prosperous Season!
56 Hawthorne St.,
Yarmouth, N.S.
902-742-1476
Waterview is your One-Stop Marine Store
7130711
waterviewmarine@outlook.com
1 Peter Dugas Road
Meteghan, NS
902-778-0660
Now
Serving
Two
Locations
13ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
WITH YOU ON
THE FRONTLINES
WITH YOU ON
THE FRONTLINES
WITH YOU ON
THE FRONTLINES
For all your fishing
needs, visit us at:
44 Hawthorne St. Yarmouth
Ph: (902) 742-3042
3502 Hwy 3, Barrington
Ph: (902) 637-2446
spartanmarine.ca
7143558

LobsterOutlook|November24,2015
360 Main Street, 2nd level
Yarmouth, NS B5A 1E8
Ph (902) 742-7726
Fax (902) 742-8330
To our fishers:
“May the winds be light,
your traps be full
and your feet stay
clear of the ropes.”
7125892
14 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
Sometimes the opening
of the lobster fishing off
southwestern Nova Scotia
goes off without a hitch.
And sometimes not.
Here’s a look at some
season openings over the
years.
2014:
Six-day weather delay
After being delayed six days due to the
weather, the lobster season in LFA 34,
which takes in all of Yarmouth County
and chunks of Shelburne and Digby coun-
ties, finally got underway the morning of
Saturday, Nov. 29.
The neighbouring LFA 33 district went
with a Friday, Nov. 28 start. It was the
second year in a row that strong winds
delayed the opening, which should have
been Nov. 24.
2012:
Should have stayed home
Days into the start of the lobster fish-
ery many people were saying that fisher-
men should have heeded the warnings
and uncertainty over price and waited
to dump their traps at sea. Fishermen
hauling in catches were only getting paid
$3 a pound and there was a fear the
price would drop more. At a Dec. 5 meet-
ing on the Yarmouth wharf, a newsletter
was informally distributed contained the
heading “Uniting is the key.” But that was
the problem, said fishermen. While every-
one agreed they don’t like the price, the
fishermen were not united.
2009:
Sundays – yes or no?
In the weeks
leading up to the
start of the lob-
ster fishery, lobster
licence holders
voted on whether
they wanted to give
lobster landings a
break for one day
during each week of
the upcoming com-
mercial lobster sea-
son. The intention
was not to flood the
market with a glut
of lobster. The year
before there was no Sunday fishing the
first three weekends of the season for
much the same reason. But that hadn’t
given fishermen the prices they were hop-
ing for.
1991:
Price too low, we won’t go
In a matter of hours, a handful of fish-
ermen organized a fleet tie-up that kept
nearly 1,000 lobster vessels in port a week
into the lobster fishery. And that number
was expected to keep growing. Fishermen
were protesting the low price they were
being offered, which hovered around the
$2.50 mark. Some fishermen even noted
fishermen in Grand Manan were getting
a better price. They were being paid $3.50
a pound.
1972:
Fire destroys $15,000 new boat
A lobster boat made front page news
on Nov. 22, 1972, when it caught fire.
The headline read: “Fire destroys $15,000
lobster boat.” Quite the change compared
to what boat’s are worth nowadays. The
fiberglass-built boat was 40-feet long and
was brand new. A later news article as the
season got underway described how: “The
price opened at an all-time high of $1 per
pound to the fisherman.” Later in the win-
ter, the price lept to over $2 per pound to
the fisherman. It was reported that these
prices were so expensive that restaurants
couldn’t afford to buy them.
1997:
Illegal fishing concerns
Some discontent rocked the lobster
industry in the preseason this year. Issues
with illegal fishing had many of the fisher-
man worried that they wouldn’t be getting
their fair share during the lobster season.
Fisherman also wanted a clear indication
regarding native fishers. They wanted to
know whether natives had the right to fish
whenever they wanted and whether they
were allowed to sell what they caught. A
Supreme Court decision – the Marshall
decision – two years later spelled out the
answers to a lot of these questions.
1966:
Opening price 65 cents to $1
1966 saw beautiful opening day weath-
er, with temperatures soaring above nor-
mal and calm seas. The opening day price
was to be anywhere between 65 cents a
pound and a dollar a pound. The opening
price the previous year was said to be a
“record-breaking” 90 cents a pound. The
record breaking high before that was 65
cents a pound. Also, in 1966, you couldn’t
be on a lobster boat without a fishing
license. Not to worry, however, you could
purchase one for just 25 cents!
(Compiled by Yarmouth Vanguard edi-
tor Tina Comeau and intern co-op student
Stacey Muise.)
Pastseasonstarts Lobster boats head out of Yarmouth harbour on
dumping day in 2013. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
fiberglass-built boat was 40-feet long and pound to the fisherman.” Later in the win-
The front page of
the Dec. 3, 1991,
Yarmouth Vanguard
showed there was
discontent in the
lobster industry over
the $2.50-a-pound
price being offered to
fishermen.

15ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
DumpingDaymorning
On the opening day of the LFA 34
lobster fishery – in darkness before
thesunrisepeeksthrough,andhours
before many of us will hit the snooze
button on our alarm clocks – a ritual
dating back generations plays out at
wharfs throughout our region.
Known as dumping day, it is on
this day that fishermen head to sea
to dump their traps in locations they
hope will be a lucrative area for the
season ahead. In this fishing district
(weather allowing) boats are permit-
ted to leave their wharfs at 6 a.m.
Often family members and com-
munity members line the wharfs or
shoreline to wish the crews a safe and
prosperous season.
It’s the one day of the year that you
can find rush hour traffic in virtually
every fishing community in southwest-
ern Nova Scotia between the hours of 4
and 6 a.m.
Here are some photos taken on
Dumping Day 2014 by Yarmouth Van-
guardeditorTinaComeauatthePinkney’s
Point wharf.
Leaving the comforts of home for a day on the water. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
Family members walk along the wharf shortly after 5:30 a.m. to wish the fleet a safe start to the
season. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
can find rush hour traffic in virtually
ern Nova Scotia between the hours of 4
Here are some photos taken on
Family members walk along the wharf shortly after 5:30 a.m. to wish the fleet a safe start to the
Boats leave the wharf in Pinkney’s Point, loaded with lobster
traps and gear. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
Securing traps and buoys before leaving the wharf. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
A cold dusting of snow on dumping day morning.TINA COMEAU PHOTO

16 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
Best Wishes for a Safe and Prosperous Season
Market size
Steamed Lobster
served with melted butter
and a baguette
$9.99Available for the
Month of December
Rudder’s Seafood Restaurant
& Brew Pub
96 Water Street, Yarmouth (902) 742-7311
7126851
www.ruddersbrewpub.com
7123715
Best Wishes for a
Safe & Prosperous Season
201 Water Street, Shelburne 218 Water Street, Shelburne
(902) 875-3900 (902) 875-1700
Community Business Development
Corporations
Shelburne and Yarmouth
Would like to wish all fishermen
good luck and best wishes for a
safe and prosperous lobster season.
CBDC Shelburne
902-875-1133
CBDC Yarmouth
902-742-5364
www.cbdc.ca
7125513
Yarmouth
tide times
MONDAY, NOV. 30
1:24 A.M. 4.16 metres High Tide
7:23 A.M. 0.90 metres Low Tide
1:39 P.M. 4.38 metres High Tide
7:57 P.M. 0.68 metres Low Tide
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
THURSDAY, DEC. 3
FRIDAY, DEC. 4
SATURDAY, DEC. 5
SUNDAY, DEC. 6
MONDAY, DEC. 7
Meteghan
tide times
MONDAY, NOV. 30
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
THURSDAY, DEC. 3
FRIDAY, DEC. 4
SATURDAY, DEC. 5
SUNDAY, DEC. 6
MONDAY, DEC. 7
Boats sit idle at the wharf in Pinkney’s Point, Yarmouth County. TINA COMEAU PHOTO

17ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
Wishing a Safe &
Prosperous Lobster
Season to All!
7123711
shelburne barrington liverpool bridgewater chester halifax
157 Water Street 3289, HWY 3 7B Henry Hensey Dr. 11 Dominion Street 4171, HWY 3 620 Nine Mile Drive
PO Box 189, Suite 5188 Barrington Passage, NS PO Box 254 PO Box 29 Office 10 Suite 204
Shelburne, NS B0T 1W0 B0W 1G0 Liverpool, NS B0T 1K0 Bridgewater, NS B4V 2W6 Chester, NS B0J 1J0 Bedford, NS B4A 0H4
(902) 875-1051 (902) 637-1637 (902) 356-4278 (902) 543-4278 (902) 273-3080 (902) 444-4278
shelburne@bvca.ca shelburne@bvca.ca liverpool@bvca.ca bridgewater@bvca.ca chester@bvca.ca halifax@bvca.ca
www.bvca.ca
We wish all the lobster fishers and
their families a safe and
prosperous season.
We encourage our communities to
show their support of this vital
industry and world class product.
Warden and Council
Municipality of the
District of Shelburne
7125300
FISHING SEASON!
for a safe and prosperous
Shelburne Furniture
& Appliances Ltd.
147 Water St., Shelburne
902-875-3173
We are now a dealer for
www.shelburnefurnitureandappliances.com
7126255
Starting
at
$19.99
Barrington
tide times
MONDAY, NOV. 30
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
THURSDAY, DEC. 3
FRIDAY, DEC. 4
SATURDAY, DEC.
SUNDAY, DEC. 6
MONDAY, DEC. 7
6:00 P.M. 1.87 metres High Tid
Shelburne
tide times
MONDAY, NOV. 30
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
THURSDAY, DEC. 3
FRIDAY, DEC. 4
SATURDAY, DEC. 5
SUNDAY, DEC. 6
MONDAY, DEC. 7
Boats in port in Woods Harbour, Shelburne County. GREG BENNETT PHOTO

18 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I
a salute
to the lobster fishing
industry
We’re proud to acknowledge the great important role
our fishing industry plays in our area and applaud all the
fishermen, suppliers and related fields in this area.
7125889
www.garianconstruction.ca
648-3307
We would like to take this special opportunity
in expressing our best wishes to all Southwest
Nova Lobster Fishermen and the numerous
businesses and individuals associated with this
vital industry in our area.
Have a Safe &
Bountiful Season
7125888
Your Yamaha and Suzuki dealer in
SouthWest Nova Scotia!
Pauld’EntremontMarineLtd.
2616 Highway #3, Pubnico, N.S.
paulmarine.com
paulmarine@ns.sympatico.ca
Phone: 902-762-3301
Fax: 902-762-2484
Here is a glossary of terms you might
hear thrown around as this year’s lobster
season gets underway.
BANDING: Placing a strong elastic
around the claws of the live lobster allow-
ing for handling among harvesters, buyers
and processors, which also helps to con-
trol quality of the lobster and safety of the
person handling it. Banding is done on the
fishing vessel when the lobster is landed
out of the trap.
BANDERS: Extra crewmembers that are
hired on boats to help band the lobsters in
the first few weeks of the season in the fall
when catches tend to be higher.
BERRIED LOBSTER: A female with eggs
under her tail. Under Canadian law ber-
ried lobsters must be returned to the sea.
CARAPACE: The body shell. The carapace
of a lobster is measured from the back
of the eye sockets to the end of the body
shell to determine legal size. The tail is not
included in this measurement.
CRUSHER: The larger of the two claws on
a lobster.
CULL: A lobster with one or no claws,
which is normally sold at a lower price.
There is often debate as to whether or not
culls should be landed.
GRUBBY:The nickname
fishermen have for the
ugly fish, a.k.a. a sculpin,
that sometimes comes
up in a lobster trap with
the catch.
HARD SHELL: The term
that describes a lobster
whose shell has fully
hardened after moult-
ing. Hard-shelled lob-
sters yield more meat
than soft shell or shed-
ders, and are therefore
considered better qual-
ity.
LFA (LOBSTER FISHING AREAS):
Atlantic Canada is divided into fishing
regions or zones. These LFAs have their
own applicable fishing seasons. Some
conservations measures may differ from
LFA to LFA.
LOBSTER CAR: You won’t drive this on
the highway. This is a large wooden struc-
ture that sits under water, in which fisher-
men can store crates of live lobster.
PINCHER CLAW: Of the claws on a lob-
ster, it is the smaller one.
POPSICLE PACK: It’s not something that
children lick on a hot summer day. This is
a term used to describe a whole cooked
lobster that is packed in brine in a cello
sleeve and frozen.
POUND: This is a storage area that is used
for holding live lobster.
SHEDDERS: This term describes lobsters
that are in the moulting or soft-shell stage
of growth.
SOFT SHELL: This describes a lobster
after it moults or sheds its hard shell. The
new shell that replaces it remains soft for
a period of time to help the lobster grow.
Fishermen generally want to avoid catch-
ing soft-shelled lobsters since the meat
yield is lower and the quality not as good.
TAGS: A plastic marker on a trap that
identifies that the trap is being legally
fished by a licensed fishermen.
TRAP OR POT: A cage like structure used
to catch lobster alive under water. Where
traps used to be mostly made out of wood
years ago, the majority are now wire traps.
TOMALLEY: The green-colored liver of a
lobster.
TIRED: What fishermen are after a long
day on the water.
LobsterTerms101
A live lobster with bands in its claws.
We wish the very
best of success
and a safe and
prosperous season
Phone: (902) 723-0007
Fax: (902) 723-0207
maloneboat@ns.sympatico.ca
Malone’s
Boat Repair Ltd.
6717 Highway 3
Wood’s Harbour
Shelburne County
Nova Scotia
B0W 2E0
Herbert Malone
barry Malone
7132573

19ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
Lou Acker Machining and Repairs Inc.
83 John Street, Shelburne
875-3933
7131007
Wishing a
Safe & Prosperous
Lobster Season
to all.
Wishing All our Lobster Fishermen
a Safe & Prosperous Season
www.toplineindustrial.ca www.stihl.ca
249 Pleasant St., Yarmouth
Ph: 902-742-7877
MS170 Gas Chainsaw
MSRP $279.95 with 16” box Only
$
24900
7125560
Life raft safety demo steps in for industry
By Tina Comeau
TC•Media
They’re a necessity on a fishing boat,
but they’re also something that fishermen
hope to never have to use.
But because there is always the
possibility they will, this past summer
a demonstration was held to raise
awareness on how best to use them.
We’re talking about life rafts – which,
in times of peril, could save lives.
And yet most fishermen will never
practice using one, since doing so isn’t
very practical.
“It’ssomethingyoudon’tgettopractice
becausepeoplearen’tgoingtodothat.Not
whenyouhavetopay$2,000tore-package
it,” says Lucien LeBlanc, a fisherman, but
also a navigation instruction for the NSCC
School of Fisheries.
In late August an emergency safety drill
and life raft demonstration took place at
the Breakwater Wharf in Wedgeport in
conjunction with the annual Wedgeport
Tuna Tournament.
Earlier in the year, Fishing Safety Now,
a plan by and for Nova Scotia’s fishing
industry was launched by the Safe at Sea
Alliance – a group of fishermen, family
members, industry, safety organizations,
community leaders, and government. The
plan highlighted the importance of these
wharf-side demonstrations and includes
several other recommendations to help
improve safety.
LeBlancsaystherearemanyadvantages
to having safety demonstrations like
this, especially in light of the fact most
fishermen will never use a life raft unless
they absolutely have to. In those cases you
don’t want to rely on on-the-job training.
“It’s not easy to think about these
things when it’s 4 a.m. and your boat may
be sinking,” he says.
QUICK GLANCE
Those who took part in the summer safety
demonstration included representatives
from the Fisheries Safety Association of
Nova Scotia (FSANS), the Nova Scotia
Fisheries Sector Council (NSFSC), the
Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC),
the Workers’ Compensation Board of
Nova Scotia (WCB) and Nova Scotia
Department of Labour and Advanced
Education (LAE), as well as fishermen, their
families and other community members
and Wedgeport Tuna Tournament event
organizers and board members.
Some things to know about life rafts
• If a vessel is required to carry a life raft it must be fitted with a hydrostatic release unit (HRU).
• They are available in sizes from 4 to 150 person capacity.
• They should be able to withstand 30 days use in normal sea conditions
• When the vessel sinks between 1.5 to 4 meters, the HRU releases the raft
canister by water pressure.
• There is enough food and water in an offshore Class “A” L/R survival
pack for 72 hours (3 days) – most rescues happen within the first 72 hours
• Always inflate manually if possible – ensure painter line (80 to 100 feet) is fastened to a fixed
point.
• Always board the raft dry if possible to avoid hypothermia.
• Survival packs aboard life rafts are equipped with rocket parachute flares, hand held flares,
buoyant orange smokes, a heliograph/signal mirror, flash light - spare batteries and bulb.
• Life rafts are fitted with a first aid kit, fishing kit, thermal protective aids (tin foil blankets/
covers for hypothermic casualties).

According to the Department of Fish-
eries and Oceans, lobster is Canada’s most
valuable seafood export and an iconic
Canadian species exported around the
world.
The department says that Canadian
lobster landings remain at one of the
highest levels recorded in 100 years, with
an upward trend over recent decades.
The United States accounts for the
majority of Canadian lobster exports,
quoted by the department to stand at
around 78 per cent. Other key markets
include Asia (Japan and China) and the
European Union (Belgium, France). Lob-
ster is also exported to an additional 50
countries.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada man-
ages 45 lobster fisheries, in which 10,000
licensed harvesters across Atlantic Cana-
da and Quebec participate.
Landings:
The Department of Fisheries and
Oceans says lobster landings in LFA 33
during the 2014-2015 season was 6,850
tonnes. In LFA 34 during the same time-
frame preliminary data indicates the
landings totalled 22,452 tonnes.
Overall, annual lobster landings for all
fisheries in 2013 were 74,686 tonnes. In
2012 lobster landings were 74,790 tonnes.
In 2011, lobster landings were 66,500
tonnes.
Value:
The lobster landed value was $680.5
million in 2013, $662.8 million 2012, and
$619.7 million in 2011. Annual exports in
2011 were worth over $1 billion.
Fisheries:
There are 45 lobster fisheries through-
out the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec,
including one for the offshore fishery and
one closed for conservation.
Conservation Measures:
These are tailored to meet the unique
needs of each lobster fishery. Common-
ly used measures include limits to the
number of licences, trap limits, length of
fishing seasons, number of fishing days,
not landed berried lobsters, lobster size
restrictions, and more.
(Source: Department of Fisheries and
Oceans)
20 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
Best Wishes for a
Safe & Prosperous
Lobster Season!
7125526
sterling
belliveau
MLA, Queens - Shelburne
mlaqueens-shelb@eastlink.ca
Shelburne Office: 170 Water St. Shelburne, B0T 1W0
phone: 902-265-3010 fax: 902-265-3015
Have a Safe &
Bountiful
Lobster Fishing
Season
from your friends at
7125307
To all our fishermen friends.
We wish you all a safe season
and thank you for
your patronage.
V&R Traps 742-8807
7125556
(90 Days No Payment No Interest OAC)
Ropes are secured in the hour or so before vessels left the
Pinkney’s Point wharf in Yarmouth County last year to
head out on dumping day. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
SpeciesataGlance

21ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
from
FISHING SEASON
Locally
owned and
operated
26B Burton Avenue, Yarmouth NS (In the old bread outlet location)
(902) 742-6029
Mon – Fri 10 am - 6 pm; Sat 10 am - 3 pm
www.ascensionpet.weebly.com
Raising the standard in business, sales and service!
7125894
for a safe and prosperous
Yarmouth mazda
44 Starrs Rd., Yarmouth
Toll Free: 1-855-881-ZOOM (9666)
www.yarmouthmazda.ca
Best Wishes for a Safe
and Prosperous
Lobster
Season
from all of us at
7125558
7125545
Smith & Watt LTD
Barrington Passage (888) 637-2330
smithandwatt.com swsales1@eastlink.ca
CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM
Roseway Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
176 Water Street, Shelburne 875-4488
rosewaychrysler.com rosewaysales@eastlink.ca
Wishing everyone a safe and
prosperous lobster season.
The plight of the fisherman’s wife
Not too many years
ago a woman mar-
ried to a fisherman
told me, “You have been
writing about fishermen
and their ordeal at sea
for years. Why don’t you
do a story on the fisher-
man’s wife who has to stay
at home, raise the fam-
ily, spend lonely nights and
worry every time the wind
blows?”
Fair enough, and my
grandmother Sarah, who
was born in 1885, would
certainly have agreed with
her.
Today we have women who go out to
sea in fishing boats to earn their living,
but in my grandmother’s time all fisher-
men were men. Women today as in my
grandmother’s day have plenty to worry
about when their husbands or loved ones
are on the open sea. Perhaps with all the
navigational aids, radios and cell phones
there is less to worry about, but there is
always some concern.
Those who go out lobster fishing are
usually gone only a few nights and some
of the “inside boats” are home every
night. A fisherman doesn’t get paid on
weekly basis like an office worker or
an auto mechanic. A former fisherman’s
wife was telling me lately that years ago
the lobster fishermen had
to wait for the buyer to pay
them. Of course the buyer had
to sell the lobster before he
had money to pay the fish-
ermen. In the fall they got
paid just before the holidays
and the wife could only do
her Christmas shopping at
the very last minutes when
the store shelves were getting
bare.
If the husband was a scal-
lop fisherman they could be
gone for as much as 14 days
at a time. This means that the
wife had to bring up the kids
often on her own. If problems arose, or
issues at school she had to take care of
them all on her own.
Going back a few years, among my very
earliest memories as a child, I remember
the adults talking about the sinking of
the Laura Grace and Peter also known as
the L.G.P. This vessel was an early scallop
dragger. This was in 1947 and Margaret
d’Eon who was married to the captain,
Harvey d’Eon, received the message early
that the boat had been sunk and there
was no news of the crew yet. Needless
to say, this was a long day in the village.
Most of the crew was related, among
them, Harvey and Fidelis were brothers,
Clarence’s wife was a sister to Andrew,
and Philip was a son-in-law to Elise. At 9
Tales from
the Past
Laurent
d’Entremont
p.m. Margaret received a phone call from
her husband saying all were safe and
sound in Saint John, New Brunswick – an
answer to many prayers. The L.G.P. had
collided with a big freighter called the SS
Rockwood Park.
Going back a few more years, my
mother was 12 years old when the stock
market crashed on Wall Street, triggering
the great depression. What she remem-
bered most of all was that they never had
any money to buy any of the necessities,
let alone the luxuries. One summer my
grandfather left them with only 10 dollars
to survive the months he would be away.
Thanks to the family farm they always
had enough to eat. My grandmother did
the gardening, farm chores and milked
the cow while my grandfather was away
fishing. Strangely enough I always saw
her as the frail type and just can’t picture
her doing any type of farm work. She kept
the home fire burning until her husband
would return.
At the end of the fishing season, the
trip was over and the boat returned to
its homeport, a happy time providing
the flag was not flying at half-mast. The
crew had exchanged little or no news
from back home for a matter of months.
In most cases a flag at mid-mast meant
that one of the crew was not return-
ing to his loved ones. But there were
times when the bad news was at
home.
Such was the case when my
grandfather returned to port about 1920.
A group of women were assembled on
the wharf and his worst fears were con-
firmed when he spotted his sister Rose-
Edith in the assemblage. As it turned
out, his sister-in-law had given birth a
few days earlier and, sadly, because of
complications at birth, the mother and
baby had both died. The husband and
father was one of the crewmembers. This
was very sad.
It was a tough life for the men who
were on the open sea. It was also a tough
life for the wives who stayed at home
without news.
How things would have been different
if the cell phone had
only been invented
back then.
laudent@
hotmail.com

22 Lobster Outlook
November 24, 2015I7125519
best wishes
for a safe and successful season
warden and council
Acolourful
industry
Between boats, traps, rope, balloons, crates and other gear, the lobster fishery is a colourful
industry, as these photos taken by TINA COMEAU demonstrate.
uuulll

23ILobster Outlook
November 24, 2015
Grant Thornton LLP. A Canadian Member of Grant Thornton International Ltd
Wishing a safe and
profitable season to
our local lobstermen.
Lobster fishing season soon begins in southwestern Nova Scotia,
and we wish local lobstermen and the fishery the very best of luck.
Not only do they provide the area with a tremendous economic
advantage—they put lobsters on our tables.
Grant Thornton LLP is a national accounting firm, but our
roots are deep in Nova Scotia. Give us a call. We can help
you find solutions to any business challenge, large or small.
bridgewater
+1 902 543 8115
digby
+1 902 245 2553
Kentville
+1 902 678 7307
yarmouth
+1 902 742 7842
Audit • Tax • Advisory
www.GrantThornton.ca
7132572
Gearingup
The season runs from the last Monday
of November to the final day in May,
but fishermen spend weeks and months
leading up to the opening of the season
preparing their traps and gear.
Everyone deserves a coffee break. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
Stephen Bennett works on traps that will boarded on the Miss Kaitlynn when the lobster season gets underway. TINA
COMEAU PHOTO
ABOVE: Richard LeBlanc works on some traps during a sunny afternoon at the Yarmouth Bar. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
LEFT: Building a lobster car at the Yarmouth Bar. Lobster cars are submerged underwater and are a place that
fishermen can store crates containing their lobster catches. TINA COMEAU PHOTO

S u p p l y i n g t h e l o b s t e r i n d u s t r y w i t h
q u a l i t y b a n d s f o r o v e r 3 5 y e a r s
vernon d’eon
fishing supplies ltd.
41 Years
Servicing the Industry
7123760
LobsterOutlook|November24,2015

Lobster Outlook 2015

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (14)

Similar to Lobster Outlook 2015

Similar to Lobster Outlook 2015 (20)

Lobster Outlook 2015