UNION SEEKS LOBSTER FISHING BAN FOR MID-SUMMER IN GULF

Fishermen’s union urging measures to sustain health of lobster stocks

The Maritime Fishermen’s Union is urging the federal government and fisheries organizations to implement a ban on all lobster fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to ensure the continued health of lobster stocks in the gulf.

“After 20 years of lobster research from the Government of Canada and our science affiliate Homarus, we understand just how important the mid-summer period (July 7 to Aug. 7) is for the hatching and development of lobster larvae into juvenile lobsters”, says MFU executive director Martin Mallet.

“Any fishing activity during this time has an extremely negative effect on several key biological processes for lobster, including moulting, extrusion of new eggs and hatching of eggs that are in the final stages of development.”

While commercial lobster fishing is closed in July and August, other fisheries currently have the right to catch lobster during this period.

“The risk of allowing lobster fishing in mid-summer is that it’s the most important month in the lifecycle of a lobster,” says Mallet.

“By allowing any fishery to operate during this time, the handling of female lobsters have a very negative impact on the eggs and can have a traumatic impact on the female’s health. This could prevent all eggs from being hatched

He says that is why all commercial fisheries suspend fishing during parts of July and August as part of the industry’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable fishery.

Other sustainability measures include a limited number of licenses as part of the management plan, defined lobster seasons that exclude the month of July, trap limits, escape mechanisms for undersized lobsters and the release of female lobsters bearing eggs or of optimum breeding size.