Tag Archives: lobster buyers

N.S. minister hopes changes to fish buyer, processor licences will help curb illegal activity

The Nova Scotia government is introducing new licence conditions for fish buyers and processors that officials hope will help crack down on illegal fishing. Kent Smith, the province’s fisheries minister, detailed the changes in a letter that accompanied a package sent to licence holders earlier this month. Changes include moving to two-year terms and aligning processor licences with Canadian Food Inspection Agency requirements. Processors will also be required to report the source location of fish and fish products entering the facility and the location of sales at both the provincial and country level. But the biggest changes focus on Nova Scotia’s king crustacean, lobster. Lobster buyers will be required to provide the locations and details pertaining to all holding and handling facilities they own, lease or use. Licence holders will only be allowed to store and/or handle their lobsters at facilities listed on their buyer’s licence. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 12:15

Nova Scotia lobster buyers must take a lobster handling course for licence renewal

Nova Scotia lobster buyers will have to take a lobster handling course this spring to have their licences renewed, the provincial fisheries minister said Thursday. Proper handling of lobsters should mean fewer crustaceans lost, said Fisheries Minister Keith Colwell. He said buyers were not consulted before introducing the new mandatory licence requirement.  “If we would have waited … every day we lose not having proper handling practices in place on lobsters means we’re losing revenue for the province of Nova Scotia and for rural communities in Nova Scotia,” Colwell said.”If that lobster doesn’t make it to market for whatever reason, then that’s revenue that we’ve lost.” Read the article here 20:45