The head of a local fishing group said the lobster season saw a slow start.
Jamie Stewart, president of the Gulf Nova Scotia Bonafide Fisherman’s Organization, said the season started on April 26, four days earlier than previous years for the lobster fishing area (LFA) 26a2. He said the water has been cold, which affects catches. He said catch levels are down drastically.
Stewart said things are similar to last year in that the price of fuel and bait went up, adding accessing bait is beginning to be a bigger issue, pointing to the cut in herring quotas.
With that said, the water temperatures are starting to come up a bit, he said, with some areas starting to see an increase in catches. Other places, things are still staying the same. The last day of the season is June 26.