Tag Archives: Prince Edward Island
Rising fuel, bait prices could eat into profit margins
Lobster fishers have had to contend with the rising costs of doing business for years, but this season presents a set of circumstances perhaps without compare. Fuel prices are higher than they’ve ever been on PEI and that will have a direct impact on fishers, especially the ones who sail further out from shore. Throw in rising bait prices driven by quotas and feeding predators, and insurance costs, and it could take a sizable big bite out of profit margins. “It’s going to be different from last year for sure. The cost of everything is going up,” said Naufrage lobster fisherman Lucas Lesperance. He hopes those pressures will create a strong price throughout the season. Mr Lesperance said seals are becoming more of a nuisance than ever, chowing down on bait species like herring and mackerel. A seal hunt would certainly help, he said. >click to read< 10:07
Fishers are key players
This week we celebrate the fisheries and the crucial role it plays in the Island economy. The value of the fisheries exceeds $590 million in this small province which boasts a population somewhere in the neighbourhood of 160,000 residents. The worth is evident in the fact harvesting and processing of fisheries and aquaculture products accounts for about 9,500 jobs. Among those involved in the industry are skilled lobster and crab fishers, mussel farmers, oyster harvesters and all who earn a living from the water. All Islanders benefit from a lucrative fishery. However, those engaged in it will be especially challenged this coming season with escalating fuel prices which influences the cost of bait, transport of product and other essentials. >click to read< 09:16
Lobster fisherman involved in fatal collision to be sentenced March 17 – Prosecutor wants jail time
A federal prosecutor is calling for at least two years in jail for a lobster fisherman involved in a boat collision that killed two people off Beach Point, P.E.I., in June of 2018. The judge on Wednesday adjourned the case until March 17, when he will hand down the sentence. But first, court heard from families of the victims, 20-year-old Justin MacKay and 59-year-old Chris Melanson. Tammy Crossman wept as she said how proud she was to see her son Justin graduate from high school and make plans to own a fishing boat someday. Isabella Melanson told court her father Chris was her superhero. >click to read< 16:11
91-year-old active fisherman in P.E.I. to be inducted into Acadian Business Hall of Fame
For many people, eventual retirement is the force that pulls them to work every day, but for 91-year-old Alcide Arsenault, it’s a love of the sea. “In the spring, when the ice goes, it’s just like a magnet that takes you back to the shore. I’ve always loved fishing.” Alcide, who lives in Cape Egmont, has been fishing lobster off P.E.I.’s north and south shores since 1944 when he was just 14 and could be the oldest active fisherman in P.E.I. On Dec. 3, he was named one of four 2022 inductees into the Acadian Business Hall of Fame, considered the highest and most prestigious recognition from the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI. >click to read< 10:50
DFO says it is considering request from P.E.I. fishermen to change lobster setting dates
The federal government is considering allowing P.E.I. lobster fishermen to start the spring season earlier than normal. Krista Petersen, a spokeswoman with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Gulf Region,,, “Before DFO makes any decisions on requests for season date changes, proposals need to be discussed with all groups who fish in a particular lobster fishing area,’’ Petersen said in an email. “Issues related to safety, weather, ice conditions and harbour dredging will be taken into consideration.’’ >click to read< 10:48
P.E.I. lobster fishermen vote to move up setting day in the spring
“We’re coming off back-to-back seasons here where the season was extended into July,’’ said Mike Dixon, co-chair of LFA26A lobster advisory committee, which represents close to 400 fishmen between Souris and Victoria. “As commercial fishermen, we recognize the resource becomes vulnerable at certain times of the year when the water temperature reaches a certain degree so that puts the lobster into their reproductive stages.’’ This vote was strictly meant to address the issue of not fishing for lobster when the animals are molting. >click to read< 07:58
Prince Edward Island fall lobster season sees record prices
The fall lobster season, off the southern and western shores of P.E.I., closes this weekend, and it’s been a good one. Catches were about average, said Charlie McGeoghegan, chair of Lobster P.E.I. “The big change would be the price per pound. The last five weeks or so, it’s been pretty steady at about $8.60 and $9.60, canners and markets respectively,” said McGeoghegan. Those are record highs, he said. >click to read< 13:11
Lobster captain found guilty on lesser charge in 2018 deaths of 2 men
Justice Gregory Cann has found lobster boat captain Clarence Barry White not guilty on two counts of criminal negligence causing death over a boat collision that left two men dead. He did find White guilty of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, however. Sobs broke out in a Charlottetown courtroom on Friday as the judge announced his decision. White’s boat, Forever Chasin’ Tail, collided with Joel ’98, killing two of the five people on that vessel: Justin MacKay and Chris Melanson. During the trial, court heard that White’s boat was on autopilot at the time of the crash, >click to read< 11:42
Foundation created in memory of Alex and Ethan to memorialize ‘2 great young men‘
Alex Hutchinson and Ethan Reilly were killed in a boating accident last September. But nearly a year later, the community is rallying to create a foundation in honour of the boys, who were both known for their kind-heartedness before they died at only 17 years old. The families were then approached by Joey Dumville, who coached both Ethan and Alex in hockey and knew them well. The Hutch Cup will be held on Sept. 11. It’s a 
competition to see who can catch the biggest lobster and take home the trophy in honour of Alex. “Alex loved being a fisherman, and he was the third man in the boat, which is usually a job for an adult,,, The foundation also plans to host the Rufus Run this year, an all-terrain vehicle event in honour of Ethan, who loved anything and everything to do with motors. For Ethan’s mom, the warmth behind the legacy foundation is something she saw in her son from the time he was a child. >click to read< 13:19
‘We’re quite happy’ P.E.I. fall lobster fishery has ‘higher demand than we’ve ever seen before,’
Fall lobster fishing in western P.E.I. seems to be off to a good start amid talk demand could be as high as it’s ever been in the season. On Monday morning, fishermen started setting their traps in Lobster Fishing Area 25, located at the western end of the Northumberland Strait between P.E.I. and New Brunswick. Charlie McGeoghegan, chair of the P.E.I. Lobster Marketing Board, says the sector has benefited recently from a considerable rise in demand for live lobster within Canada, as more people decide to cook at home due to the pandemic. “This year it seems there’s a higher demand than we’ve ever seen before, which we’re quite happy about.” >click to read< 08:19
“Our industry is quite happy,,, Lobster prices are back up just as 2021 season ends
Charlie McGeoghegan, chair of the P.E.I. Lobster Marketing Board, said overall it was a “very good year” for lobster fishers. “Our industry is quite happy with the way things went when you compare it to last year and many other years actually,” McGeoghegan said. “It’s a welcome change for sure.” The season was delayed two weeks due to COVID-19 concerns for the safety of boat crews, and questions over the demand for lobster. The season was extended by four days, but losing 10 days still negatively affected last year’s overall catch numbers and prices. >click to read< 16:12
Defense argues accused lobster boat captain had right of way in boat fatality
The defence lawyer for lobster boat captain Clarence Barry White argued his client had the right of way the day two boats collided, killing two people. “Captain White had the right of way,” Casey told Justice Gregory Cann, in connection with the incident June 9, 2018 in water off Beach Point, P.E.I. “The events were tragic, but you should find they were not criminal.” Casey recounted what the defence contends are key facts from the incident, in which White’s boat, Forever Chasin’ Tail, collided with Joel ’98, killling two of the five people on that vessel: Justin MacKay and Chris Melanson. White’s boat approached the other from starboard. According to the rules of boating, he had the right of way, Casey told court. Court has heard White’s boat was on autopilot,,, >click to read< Marine Transportation Safety Investigation M18A0185 – Collision and Sinking, Forever Chasin’ Tail , and Joel ’98 The following is a summary of a Category 5 occurrence for which the TSB dispatched a team of investigators. The investigation is now complete. >click to read< 20:05
Bait Masters alternative bait got a bump in inquiries after mackerel quotas were cut in May
“We’re just two guys, so there’s going to be some logistics.” A P.E.I. company is getting ready to scale up production as word of its alternative bait spreads across North America, and a cut in the quota of traditional bait leaves fishermen looking for options. Bait Masters started producing their bait sausages in the $1.4 million facility in Nine Mile Creek, P.E.I.,,, Co-owners Mark Prevost and Wally MacPhee embarked on creating a new alternate 
bait,,, In 2020, a UPEI researcher released his analysis based on field trials of the new bait in P.E.I. bays in the summer of 2019. It found that the new bait sausage created by Bait Masters catches as many lobster as traditional baits, such as herring and mackerel. >click to read< 07:55
P.E.I. lobster falls by $2 a pound
Earlier this month, fishers were selling their catches for around $8 for canners and $8.50 for markets, the highest prices in about 15 years. Charlie McGeoghegan, chair of the Lobster Marketing Board of P.E.I., said the price went as high as $8.50 a pound for canners and $9.00 for markets. Now those prices have dropped. “We were glad to see that first week, the price where it was. To our disappointment though, the Monday after Mother’s Day, they dropped it in a lot of cases [by] two dollars a pound,”,, >click to read< 17:14
Lobster fishing 101: Everything you wanted to know! From Setting Day to Fishers pay!
In early May, hundreds of Prince Edward Island fishing boats head out into the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to sink their traps and bring back lobsters,,, Jada Yeo has been a fisherman’s helper aboard her father David’s boat, Let Her Go, for the past six years, since she graduated from high school. Sheila Eastman has been North Lake’s harbour manager for 20 years, and is like a mother to most of the fishermen. In fact, her son, one of her brothers and other relatives fish out of North Lake. From Setting Day, lobster boats, sharing up, fishing areas, and terminology preferences such as fishers, fisherman, fisherwoman, with lots of photos!, >click to read< 13:12
Mothers Day: A salute to marine mothers, from lobsters to octopus
What makes the she lobster so contemporary is that she goes looking for her mate by tapping and poking the tips of her claws into the male abode, and if she finds the lucky catch, she enters, whereupon the male taps his claws as a welcoming gesture (she hopes). This behaviour is known as “boxing.” It is thought the future husband actually taps her to get a sense of the hardness of her shell and when she may molt, because when she does, the matrimonial action occurs! She will then lie on her back while the male performs his magnificent gesture. >click to read< 12:01
Video: Spring lobster season officially underway on P.E.I.
The spring lobster season on P.E.I. officially got underway Tuesday after a four-day delay due to weather. Boats in Lobster Fishing Area 26A, the southeast, left at 6 a.m. while those in LFA 24, on the North Shore, started at 9 a.m. Many fishing captains hire extra help on setting day, when the boats are loaded with traps. They will begin pulling the traps on Wednesday. Erin Bagloe, who fishes out of Red Head Harbour, said he prefers to get going at 6 a.m. but agreed with the decision to delay. Video, >click to read< 15:55
Lobster season delayed on P.E.I.’s North Shore, now, Southern P.E.I. lobster crews as well
Setting day was scheduled for Friday, but that has been moved to Monday for lobster fishing area 24, which includes the North Shore of P.E.I. A decision on the opening for LFA 26A, which encompasses the southeastern shore from Point Prim to Victoria, is expected Thursday. Ian MacPherson, executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association, says delays are not uncommon, but fishermen were hoping for a good start this year after the season was delayed two weeks last year due to COVID-19. >click to read< – The opening of the spring lobster season is being delayed for southern Prince Edward Island because of high winds in the forecast, a day after a similar decision was made for North Shore boats. >click to read< 12:19
They’re Ready! P.E.I. 2021 spring lobster season – ‘Things look a lot more positive this year than they were a year ago’
Last spring, as uncertainty due to Coronavirus, reined worldwide and the lobster industry struggled with a two-week delay to the season, securing workers and keeping them safe, and getting a fair price for harvesters. “Plants weren’t ready to start production, they didn’t have PPE for the workers in the plants, they didn’t have enough workers for the plants,,, “The plants are ready, they have the workers in place for the most part, the PPE and the changes to the plants have already been done,”. McGeoghan said demand is high from China, Europe is opening up again and the U.S. demand is “steady.” >click to read< 10:14
Prince Edward Island lobstermen struggle through uncertain 2020 season
The fishing industry has certainly hit rough waters in the past, but the 2020 season was like few had ever seen,,, There is little doubt pandemic woes played a partial role in the fact lobster catches were down approximately 8.6 per cent compared to 2019, which was a record year. As Charlie McGeoghegan, chair of the PEI Lobster Marketing Board, puts it, much of the reason for that decrease was due to the fact the spring season was delayed two weeks. Fish plants had issues with getting out-of-province workers in due to border restrictions and self-isolation policies. >click to read< 09:55
Crown-Indigenous Relations should take the lead on the Nova Scotia lobster dispute, pointing to DFO’s lost credibility.
The Liberal government’s “new path” that has been broadly rejected by Atlantic First Nations is an “interim measure,” says Liberal MP Jaime Battiste, to address moderate livelihood fishing,,, Mr. Battiste (Sydney-Victoria, N.S.) is one of three Mi’kmaw Parliamentarians, who together offered solutions to the conflict that has persisted since September,,, For Mr. d’Entremont, part of the problem, though, is that the matter has become an Indigenous relations issue, because of the longstanding problem with DFO’s approach, and lack of enforcement. “We’ve gotten too far into Indigenous rights and what an agreement, or a treaty back in [1760] told us. It’s hard to apply it to today’s economy, in today’s fishing industry, and I don’t know how to fix that,” he said. Mr. d’Entremont acknowledged it’s a perspective that would make some “very mad.” “I recognize the right, but I understand the right can be regulated,” he said. >click to read< 18:00
P.E.I. Mi’kmaw chiefs denounce DFO’s ‘moderate livelihood’ fishery plan
A news release from P.E.I.’s Mi’kmaw chiefs Thursday called the plan “both unlawful and disrespectful.” “DFO’s continued paternalistic approach to our rights-based fishery goes against the very spirit of reconciliation,” Abegweit First Nation Chief Junior Gould said in the release. Lennox Island First Nation Chief Darlene Bernard said she was “blindsided” by Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan’s announcement, especially since she had taken part in a roundtable discussion with Jordan Wednesday during which they talked about the moderate livelihood fishery. >click to read< 09:36
P.E.I. lobster fishermen want exemption from new gear rule aimed at protecting whales
Island lobster fishermen should be be exempt from using gear designed to break free in the event of a whale entanglement, according to the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA). The PEIFA wrote a letter to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to request lobster fishermen be exempt from new rules, which are expected to become mandatory by the end of 2022. The group says sighting data shows the endangered North Atlantic right whale is rarely in P.E.I. lobster fishing grounds. >click to read< 10:46
Skipper pleads not guilty in fatal Price Edward Island lobster boat collision
The skipper of a lobster boat that was involved in a collision that killed two people has pleaded not guilty. A lawyer for Clarence Barry White, 52, of Murray River, entered the not guilty pleas Tuesday in P.E.I. Supreme Court in Charlottetown. Justin MacKay of P.E.I. and Christopher Melanson of Nova Scotia died in the June, 2018 incident, in waters off Murray Harbour. An investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada found White’s boat was on auto-pilot at the time of the collision. >click to read< 13:42
Coronavirus Pandemic’s ‘second wave’ sending P.E.I. tuna prices down
Tuna fishers out of North Lake, P.E.I., are seeing the impact of rising Coronavirus case numbers in central Canada. Tuna buyer and processor Jason Tompkins said the season got off to a good and early start this year. “We had more fish go in July this year than any year in the last 20,” Tompkins told Island Morning host Laura Chapin. “A lot of guys did see the writing on the wall. They took our advice as buyers and went early, and the prices we saw in July and August were some of the highest we’ve seen in years.” But those prices have plummeted as COVID-19 cases rise. Tuna is almost exclusively exported off the Island, with restaurants the main market. >click to read< 13:16
Prince Edward Island: New fishermen left out of Coronavirus support programs
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association is trying to get federal support programs for fishermen changed so people new to the industry can qualify. The association says these new fishermen don’t qualify for the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant program, the Canada Emergency Business Account or the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. That’s because they need to supply information about their previous work in the industry. “There are several of the programs that require one or two years of previous financial information, which of course a new entrant would not possess,” said Ian MacPherson, executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association. >click to read< 13:05
A Tuna’s Worth – Inside a Canadian fishery that pursues them
Bluefin tuna are a luxury that feeds the egos of many, the bellies of few.,, North Lake, a community too small to support an ATM, calls itself the tuna capital of the world. In the 1960s and 1970s, anglers here regularly landed bluefin that broke world records. People came from all over the planet to hunt the storied giants, which swam faster and fought harder and grew bigger than any other sport fish. In 1979, a North Lake fisher named Ken Fraser caught the largest in history, at 679 kilograms. In a black-and-white photo commemorating the event, Fraser stands wide-eyed, blood-spattered, and completely dwarfed by the hanging behemoth—as if he were the prey, not the predator.,, On the other side of the world, in Japan, bluefin was well on its way to becoming the most expensive item on sushi menus. photos, >Audio report, click to read< 09:57
Consultation lacking on decision to reactivate licenses for Indigenous communities
The reactivation of dormant lobster fishing licences by the federal government has prompted a terse statement from the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) and the Maritime Fishermen’s Union (MFU). The two organizations say they were left out of consultation over the reactivation of 10 lobster licences by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in the Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 25, located on the western end of the Northumberland Strait between P.E.I. and New Brunswick.,,, The statement said fishermen were “frustrated” by the lack of consultation prior to the decision and called for the federal government to bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishermen’s organizations. >click to read< 09:54
Prince Edward Island Lobster fishermen prepare for fall season after challenging spring
“I’m feeling good about the season,” said Peter Hustler, who has been fishing since he was 15. “Everybody has to make an income.” Demand for lobster plummeted as the pandemic forced restaurants to close earlier this year. The price dropped as low as $3.50 per pound. “It hurts, it hurts, and it hurt this spring, too, but I think everything is going to work out,” he said. “I’d like to see the price at $4.50 or $5 … and I believe it might happen.” >click to read< 19:09
PEISPA, PEIFA disappointed with the opening date of fall lobster season
The opening day is Monday, Aug. 10. A media release issued from the PEISPA explains this date will create difficulty for lobster processors to handle the large number of lobsters that will be harvested in the first week. The release goes on to say the fall season would usually start on Aug. 9, but since that date falls on a Sunday this year, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) supported changing the opening date. “We are very disappointed that DFO rejected our simple but impactful request to start the fall fishery on Aug. 7,” said Jerry Gavin, executive director of the PEISPA. The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA) also made a formal request for an earlier start date, confirmed executive director Ian MacPherson. >click to read< 09:54
