Tag Archives: Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34
Potential move to electric lobster fishing boats hauls in opposing opinions
Lobster fishing captain Andrew Arbuckle wants to buy an electric boat. One problem, they don’t exist yet. The boat building industry is on the cusp of new electric options. Companies are inventing new designs and investing in unique ideas. But adoption could be slow, since the biggest group of customers, fishing crews in Southwest Nova Scotia, generally reject the idea. Aboard a prototype diesel-electric hybrid fishing boat, Sue Molloy, CEO of Glas Ocean Electric, lifts a floor panel from the deck. She points to a metal driveshaft that runs along the centreline of the boat, disappearing towards the propeller. Not everyone agrees that electric boats are the future. Fishing crews in the Pubnico area agreed with Fleck’s assessment. “It’s wishful thinking,” said Reynold d’Entremont. “It ain’t gonna work.” Photos, >>click to read<< 11:50,
Video – Electric fishing boats are coming but many captains still skeptical, >>click to watch<<
Dumping Day delayed in parts of Southwestern N.S. due to weather
The province’s lucrative lobster fishery is being setback by an approaching weather system. Dumping Day for lobster fishing areas 33 and 34 in Southwestern Nova Scotia typically take place on the last monday of November. While LFA 33 area fishers took advantage of a two-day flexibility window and started the season early Sunday, officials in LFA 34 say they’ll hold off until at least Wednesday. While it is a big day for a major industry in our province, government is stressing the importance of safety as fishers head out on the water. >>click to read<< 07:37
Nova Scotia lobster fishery braces for a downturn as inflation hits
Fishermen are seeing the downside of a cyclical industry at a time when inflation has sent their input costs skyrocketing. Geordy Bennett, a lobster boat captain in Riverport on Nova Scotia’s south shore, said he just spent $2,900 to fill his boat, Ava Brianne, with diesel at $2.03 per litre. “And it will probably be more next time,” Bennett said. Interest rates and the cost of bait and traps are also up. “It’s phenomenal. It’s doubled and we haven’t left the wharf,” Bennett said on a blustery day preparing traps for the upcoming season. >click to read< 18:10
Lobster fishermen call for ‘dumping day’ changes
Repeated delays to the start of the lobster fishing season in part of Nova Scotia’s most lucrative fishery have some harvesters calling for a change to the rules to prevent the money-burning setback in years ahead. The launch of the season, known as dumping day, happens on the last Monday in November for Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34, two large fishing regions that wrap around the southwest coast of the province.,, Lobster fisherman Michael Larkin said he’d like to see some flexibility added to the rules around dumping day,,, >click to read< 07:56
Canada orders temporary fishery closure in the Roseway Basin after detecting North Atlantic right whales
The latest order, issued Monday, closes several fisheries until further notice and could affect the lucrative commercial lobster fishery when the season opens next week.,, Since Nov. 9, acoustic sensors on board a marine glider cruising the area made 11 separate right whale detections.,,, Whales behavior is not understood. Because of a forecast for bad weather, fishermen have been given until Thursday to remove gear from parts of the Roseway Basin where the whales were most recently detected. The implications for the lobster fishery are potentially dramatic. Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34 from Halifax to Digby are the most valuable in Canada. >click to read< 07:24
The gear is coming ashore in Southwestern N.S. as lobster season draws to a close
Lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia are landing traps, buoys, rope and anchors by the boatload this week as May 31 marks the end of the six-month lobster season. The season opened on Dec. 1 after a five-day weather delay for fishermen in Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34, with a record opening shore price of $7 a pound that jumped to $9 by mid-December, peaked at $11 in April, and is expected to close at $7. Bernie Berry, president of the Coldwater Lobster Association said overall if it ends up being a decent season, it’ll be mostly because of the price. The price was important as catches do appear to be down, according to what fishermen have been reporting. >Photo’s, click to read<09:55
Early reports suggest steep decline in lobster catch in southwest N.S.
The lobster fishery in southwest Nova Scotia is only into the second week of its season, but already fishermen are finding a decreased haul compared to last year. Lobster fishing areas 33 and 34 are the most lucrative in the province, with overall exports of nearly a billion dollars last year. But the federal Fisheries Department said preliminary reports from fishermen suggest the catch has declined significantly. >click to read<16:46
Lobster wars
Burned out fishing boats, thousands of pounds of dumped, dead lobsters and allegations of a booming black market for the popular crustacean have drawn federal investigators to Nova Scotia’s most lucrative fishing grounds in the lead-up to lobster season. Tensions have been running high in recent weeks along the small wharves in the communities that dot St. Mary’s Bay, a well-known breeding ground for lobsters during the summer. While conservation laws prevent lobster fishers from harvesting the shellfish during breeding season in order to safeguard stocks, stunned locals watched thousands of pounds of lobsters that appeared to be commercial loads pass over their docks though the summer months. click here to read the story 10:53
Dumping Day Update: Weather delays opening
Forecast rain, snow and wind have delayed the opening of the lobster season in southwest Nova Scotia. A decision was made midday Saturday not to go ahead with Monday’s “dumping day” in lobster fishing Areas 33 and 34. Officials will decide on Sunday morning whether Tuesday should be dumping day. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Halifax, Lunenburg and Queens counties because of a low pressure system that’s expected to bring rain and snow over the weekend. Boats piled high with lobster traps in area 34 were to leave the wharves at 6 a.m. Monday and at 7 a.m. Monday in area 33. The province is reminding people who make their living on the water to be safe. Read the rest here 13:35
Weather may delay opening of lobster season
Rain, snow and wind could delay the opening of the lobster season in southwest Nova Scotia. Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34 are expected to make a decision about whether to go ahead with Monday’s “dumping day” late Saturday morning. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Halifax, Lunenburg and Queens counties because of a low pressure system that’s expected to bring rain and snow over the weekend. But if the weather is fine, boats piled high with lobster traps in LFA 34 will leave the wharves at 6 a.m. and in LFA 33, at 7 a.m. Whether or not fishermen will be setting their traps on Monday, the province is reminding people who make their living on the water to be safe. Read the rest here 08:52
Under a full compliment of resources, lobster fisherman are optimistic for repeat of last season
Wharves all along the south shore are piled high with lobster fishing gear and boats are at the ready for dumping day and the start of the commercial lobster fishery on Monday, Nov. 28 in Lobster Fishing Areas (LFA) 33 and 34. As always, Mother Nature has the final call when the season starts. If it’s fair winds and seas, boats in LFA 34 will leave the wharves at 6 a.m. and in LFA 33, at 7 a.m. A full compliment of resources will be on standby on the water and in the air for the season start, said Sean Arbour, search and recue coordinator at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Halifax. “The three lifeboat stations at West Port, Clark’s Harbour and Sambro will have the cutters on the water in position about 20 to 30 miles out on stand-by,” said Arbour. “Offshore we will have two large vessels on-site tasked to search and rescue. Typically, one is stationed off Yarmouth and the other one stationed off Liverpool about two hours off.” Read the rest here 18:20
