DFO decision to Delay Start of Lobster Season not being welcomed by Some Fishermen

Some local fishermen aren’t happy with the decision by the federal fisheries department to delay the start of spring lobster fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.  DFO says the season will now begin two weeks later than normal on May 15th.

The President of the Gulf Nova Scotia Bonafide Fishermen’s Association, Duane Boudreau, says fishermen are worried they would be put at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 because it would be difficult to maintain physical distancing in a boat or at dockside.

There’s also concern of a depressed market for lobster this year because of the pandemic.

Boudreau says they had asked for a compensation package so they wouldn’t have to fish this year, but the answer was no.

Boudreau says because they will be fishing this year, they’re not in favour of a delay.  Boudreau says they are primarily a live lobster market, and the best opportunity to sell their catch is in the early part of the season.