Lobster fishery set to open
Conditions are good for a record opening shore price, says Berry
Alan Thurber heaves a trap to a crewmember aboard his boat, Amanda’s Pride 1, at the Saulnierville Wharf on Nov. 15.
All eyes are on the weather as the countdown to the opening of the commercial lobster fishery in southwestern Nova Scotia winds down.
Weather permitting, fishing boats in Lobster Fishing Areas (LFA) 33 and 34 will be able to leave the wharves at 6 a.m. in LFA 34 and 7 a.m. in LFA 33 on Monday, Nov. 25.
Last year’s opening was delayed due to weather and opened on Saturday, Dec. 1 as opposed to Monday, Nov. 26.
The first conference call on the forecasted weather conditions for dumping day is scheduled to take place early morning Nov. 23. Annual conference calls confirm when the season start will be.
Safety is always a priority for the season’s start. A full compliment of Search and Rescue (SAR) resources will be deployed and on stand-by for the season opening. Offshore there will be two Canadian Coast Guard platforms, strategically placed on the fishing grounds, one in the western zone somewhere off Yarmouth, and the other on the eastern end between Halifax and Clark’s Harbour.
Second crews will also be brought in to the three small lifeboat stations in Sambro, Clark’s Harbour and West Port to be on stand-by at the station where they will have access to the stations’ zodiacs or fast rescue crafts (FRC) if tasked, and to assist the first crew who will be out on patrol in the Arun class cutters.
Fisheries conservation and protection boats that will be out on the water during the opening can also be tasked for SAR duties.
The Canadian Air Force will task a fixed wing Hercules and a helicopter out of Greenwood for the opening. The chopper will be on stand-by in Yarmouth, while the Hercules will either be on patrol or on 30- minute standby at Greenwood.