Tag Archives: Leo Muise

Spring Fishing Ramping Up After Harsh Winter Weather

With two months to go before the six-month commercial lobster season closes in lobster fishing areas (LFA) 33 and 34, the fishing fleet will be back on the water in full force come April in southwestern Nova Scotia. Going into March, the fishery had slowed to a crawl with severe winter storms keeping the fleet ashore and even prompting some fishermen to land their gear. “February has been a challenge, the weather,” said Tommy Amirault, president of the Coldwater Lobster Association. “I think a lot of people are encouraged by the price, but the weather has been an issue. It’s slowed the fishery down and that’s probably a factor in the price.” >click to read< 13:03

Nova Scotia upping its game on lobster quality

An internationally recognized quality standard for holding lobsters will be among the new regulations for the recently amended provincial Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act. “Nova Scotia will be the only place in the world that has it,” said Minister Keith Colwell in an interview. “We have companies in Europe and Asia that are gearing up to our standard now and they will be buying only from Nova Scotia or anywhere else in the world that meets our standard, so that’s really positive. >click to read< 21:45

Opinion: Alliance defends prices paid to lobster fishermen

I am writing on behalf of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, in response to the editorial reprinted from the Charlottetown Guardian in Friday’s Chronicle Herald complaining about the price Prince Edward Island lobster fishermen are getting in 2018 for their lobster. The Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance represents many Nova Scotia lobster buyers and processors, some of whom buy lobsters in P.E.I.,,, The suggestion of collusion among buyers to increase profit at the expense of fishermen is ridiculous and quite honestly insulting. >click to read<09:01

From wide open to closed: Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance seeks moratorium on new Nova Scotia plants

Nova Scotia’s seafood industry is seeking a moratorium on new plants and lobster pounds and wants the province to stop issuing new buyer and processor licences. Under the industry proposal, licences would also be transferable and could be sold. That would offer a windfall for current licence holders who at the moment must give them up when they exit the business. “We would like to see in the buying/processing sector a limited-entry system with transferability attached to it,” said Leo Muise of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, an industry association that recently changed its name from Nova Scotia Fish Packers Association. The request was recently submitted to the Nova Scotia government as it reviews its seafood licensing regime. “We strongly feel there is enough capacity in the province right now and the commercial fish supply is limited to what’s in the ocean. We feel there is a nice balance right now and we would like to keep it at that level.” Read the story here 15:47