Tag Archives: Prince Edward Island
Halibut catches light so far
As of Wednesday, 27.7 per cent of Prince Edward Island’s 2018 halibut quota had been landed. The fishery has been open on Wednesday and Thursday s for the last three weeks. It closes after today and will reopen in three weeks’ time, again running on three consecutive Wednesday and Thursdays.Michel MacDonald, co-chair of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association’s Groundfish Advisory committee describes the fishery in the eastern end of the Island as being slow, so far. >click to read<20:30
DFO closes more fishing zones after right whale sighting
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has closed portions of four fishery grids after right whales were spotted in the area. The affected grids are in the extreme south of the speed reduction zone and will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday. The closure marks the 20th fishery closure this year related to the North Atlantic right whale. No right whales have been found dead in Canadian waters since last year but a right whale was spotted last week off Miscou Island partially entangled. It has not been spotted since. >click to read<18:33
Setting Day: ‘One of my busiest days, stressful days, my exciting days of the year,’ says 22-year fishing veteran
Lobster fishermen at many Prince Edward Island harbours were busy getting their boats, traps and crew ready for the start of the spring season Monday. The tradition of the 6 a.m. start and the busy day of getting all the traps in the water for the first time each year is known as setting day. At Malpeque Harbour, on the northern part of the Island, it was a hive of activity Sunday as fishermen worked to get ready. >click to read<18:44
Booming Maritime lobster industry means long waits for new boats
Some boat builders in the Maritimes are reporting wait-lists for new boats of up to seven years. Good catches and prices the last few years have caused demand that far outstrips builders’ ability to supply — they don’t have space to build more, nor the staff. “The orders are just piling up,” said Roger Hutt at Hutt Brothers Boat Shop in Alberton, P.E.I. “We don’t have the capacity.” Hutt’s has 51 boats on order — the last ones on the list won’t be finished until 2025. >click to read<
Norm Peters, the bearded skipper of North Rustico, dies
One of Prince Edward Island’s best known fishermen has died. Norm Peters, known as the bearded skipper, fished lobster out of North Rustico, and ran tours when the lobster season was done. Peters was a common sight on the Island’s tourism promotions. In 2012, he represented the Island at the China Fisheries and Seafood Expo, where he attracted a lot of attention, even appearing on the front page of a Beijing newspaper. >click to read<19:12
Prince Edward Island fisherman sails Arctic as modern-day explorer
Few have logged more nautical miles in Canada’s Arctic over the past six years than David MacIsaac. But the northward course of the modern-day Arctic exploring captain has been a wandering one. MacIsaac was supposed to be an accountant. At least, that’s what he was studying at university 30 years ago when his dad called. David MacIsaac Sr., long a crewman, had bought a lobster licence and gear and was offering his son a job. Like his father, David found physical satisfaction in working on the water. >click to read< The series, Our Changing Arctic: Part 1>click to read<12:06
P.E.I’s spring lobster fishermen in favour of size increase
The president of the Western Gulf Fishermen’s Association says he’s confident Prince Edward Island’s spring lobster fisheries will have a one-millimeter increase in the minimum carapace length in 2018. Francis Morrissey, who is also a member of the Lobster Fishery Area 24 Lobster Advisory Committee was basing his optimism on the results of surveys the LFA 24 and LFA 26A Lobster Advisory Committees mailed out to their members this fall.,,, Morrissey said the decision to go with a size increase is the fishermen’s. “We feel very strongly about this,, click here to read the story 18:07
Prince Edward Island’s 2017 tuna fishery is down to its final 11 fish
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans reports that, as of Monday, there were 10 tags still remaining for Prince Edward Island’s share of the Canadian allocation, and one tag remaining for Mexican quota which was transferred to the P.E.I. fishery. Tag-holders have until December 31 to catch their fish, but they might have to sail a distance to get them on the hook. Doug Fraser, a western P.E.I. representative on the tuna advisory committee said there hasn’t been a tuna landed off North Cape since late last week. click here to read the story 17:54
P.E.I. scallop fishermen propose temporary exclusion zone compensation go to rationalization
Prince Edward Island scallop fishermen are proposing the money Maritime Electric is promising as compensation be applied towards rationalization. The utility is offering $500,000 as compensation for keeping scallop fishermen out of part of their zone this year. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has agreed to a request from Maritime Electric to impose a fishing exclusion zone across the Northumberland Strait off Borden where the utility is currently laying new submarine power cables. The area, which includes some of the best scallop fishing beds in Scallop Fishing Area 22, is expected to be in place for most of the month of May. The five-week scallop fishery opens May 1 and involves fishermen from both sides of the strait. Of the 130 license-holders in New Brunswick and 60 in P.E.I., about 60 to 70 of them are active each year. click here to read the rest. 21:23
Lobster fishermen optimistic about catch, worried about price as season begins
As lobster fishing season begins in parts of the Maritimes, many fishermen are expressing both optimism and worry.The season is now open in lobster fishing areas 23, 24 and 26 A and B, which cover northern New Brunswick, the north coast of Prince Edward Island and the eastern portion of the Northumberland Strait, including western Cape Breton Island. Fishermen set their pots Saturday and will begin hauling them Monday. While they are confident the lobsters are plentiful, they’re not certain whether they will get a fair price for their catch. If they don’t, they say their boats could remain tied up at the wharf. Video, read the rest here 11:30
Prince Edward Island fishermen want dedicated cabinet minister
A dedicated minister and department of fisheries should be created to tackle the issues and challenges facing the second most important primary industry in the province, say Island fishermen. The call for separating the provincial Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was delivered during the annual meeting of the Friday in the P.E.I Convention Centre in Charlottetown. “We definitely need our own minister because things move too fast in this industry and there are too many issues to deal with for a department that has two portfolios,” said president Craig Avery. “We have no problem with the current minister or deputy who are great people, but we need our own.” Read the rest here 10:17
Approval of GM salmon eggs will be challenged in Canadian court
The Ecology Action Centre and Living Oceans Society have partnered together in challenging Environment Canada’s decision to approve genetically modified Atlantic salmon eggs. The case will be heard in Ottawa’s Federal Court on Tuesday. The environmental groups contend the government agency did not follow its own legislative rules and conduct a full risk assessment before allowing Massachusetts-based biotech firm, AquaBounty Technologies, to produce GM-salmon eggs on Prince Edward Island. Read the rest here 20:19
Canadian Fishermen See Red in Fight Over Lobster Size – At issue: About 10 Millimeters
Fishermen in the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick are at loggerheads over how big a lobster’s carapace must be for a lobster to be harvested. Fishermen in Prince Edward Island are fighting to keep the minimum carapace at 72 millimeters, or about 2.8 inches, while their counterparts in would like to see fishing restricted to lobsters with larger shell sizes—as much as 10 millimeters longer. That is .39 inch. Read the rest here, Video 11:38
EDITORIAL: A different kettle of …lobster
We’ve supported the idea of a two-cent-per-pound lobster levy since an independent panel recommended it last fall in a report on the fickle Maritime lobster fishery. We even suggested that the Nova Scotia government, in particular, should legislate the levy, even if it couldn’t reach a consensus with lobster fishermen across the province. Read more here 22:57
PEI: Oyster company receives $205K to fund expansion
An expansion at the. is expected to increase its annual sales of oysters by one million — or about 22 per cent. The federal and provincial governments are giving the company $205,000 to help fund the expansion. The money will be used to purchase new oyster grading and aquaculture equipment. Read more here 08:34
Fishermen on Prince Edward Island are still fuming at last year’s low lobster prices and some want a firm $5 a pound rate set before the spring season begins.
At the annual meeting of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association Friday, there was support for a marketing levy, but continued frustration at prices that dropped as low as $3 a pound last year. “If any seafood processor cannot pay $5 a pound for lobster, they should not get a goddamn lobster,” fisherman Roger O’Neill said. Read more here 16:27
Prince Edward Island Lobster price protest could spread
CBCNews – Most P.E.I. lobster fishermen remained tied up today in protest over low lobster prices, and the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association says the protest could spread across the Maritimes. P.E.I.F.A. executive director Ian MacPherson said this morning most fishermen are not on the water. A few sailed out of North Rustico Harbour, Savage Harbour, and a couple of ports in West Prince. continued
Lobster prices come in about $3: government continued P.E.I. fishermen tie up boats in lobster price protest continued
Three lobster articles from Prince Edward Island
A pilot project next year will study the impact of moving the start of the fall lobster fishery in the Northumberland Strait between P.E.I. and New Brunswick. continued
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association is upset about a New Brunswick consultant’s doom-and-gloom comments about this year’s fall lobster fishery. continued
The Progressive Conservatives accused P.E.I.’s fisheries minister of wasting taxpayer money and failing to improve lobster prices during an intense session of the legislature Tuesday. continued
Prince Edward Island: Malpeque fishermen worry sandbar will block boats
CBCNews – Lobster fishermen in Malpeque are worried their season could get off to a dangerous start Monday because of a large sandbar that is blocking the entrance to Malpeque Harbour. continued
