SPENCELEY, Pauline Mary

The death occurred of Pauline M. Spenceley, R.N., 78, at the QEH, Charlottetown, on June 28, 2018. Pauline was the dearly beloved wife of Tony Spenceley and the daughter of the late Frederick C. and Adeline (Cahill) DeCoste of Charlottetown. She is survived by her children Christopher (Suzanne Blanchette) of Charlottetown, Dianne (Robert) Reynolds of Rothesay, N.B., and Kenneth (Wendy Drake) of Charlottetown; by her grandchildren Bronwyn, Riley and Ethan; Spencer and Jenna; Sarah and Hannah; by her daughter-in-law, Denise; by her three sisters Gail Quinn, Lois (Joseph) Head, and Nan (David) Clarke, and predeceased by her brother Ted (Lynn Cunningham) DeCoste. Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. She loved and took great pride in her three children and seven grandchildren. Pauline graduated from Notre Dame Academy, followed by one year of teaching in Meadow Bank. She then entered the nursing program at the Charlottetown Hospital School of Nursing receiving her R.N., Class of ‘61. Her nursing career involved working in hospitals in Quebec City, Calgary and Charlottetown. Pauline nursed in obstetrics and mental health. She was highly regarded by fellow nurses and by all those with whom she had contact. Her quiet, thoughtful and caring demeanor was always appreciated, as was her willingness to have a good laugh. Pauline was a gentle and intelligent soul who aspired to be the best nurse she could be. Respect and kind words from her patients, fellow nurses and doctors attest to her achieving her goal. Starting in 1997 with her retirement, Pauline enjoyed painting and quilting. She always enjoyed classical music and was a devoted reader of books of every genre from P.D. James to Margaret Atwood. In retirement, she and Tony travelled, especially in the U.K. and, during the dreaded cold of winter, in warmer climates such as Florida. On a daily basis, Pauline enjoyed the mental activity of doing the daily crossword, crypto quote or Suduko, often saying with a bright but ironic laugh “this will protect me from Alzheimer’s”. As time passed, one of Pauline’s great pleasures was to sit on the deck with Tony on a golden summers’ day, with a glass of wine, and enjoy her favorite music and reminisce about the good life they were fortunate enough to have. We will miss Pauline’s sense of humour, her talent for knowing what was really important in life and for her calming, reassuring way. A Celebration of Pauline’s Life will be held on the first anniversary of her passing, on Saturday, June 29th, 2019. If so desired, contributions to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated. www.belvederefh.com

The American lobster industry is starting to feel the pinch of China’s tariff on U.S. seafood as exporters and dealers cope with sagging prices, new financial pressures and difficulty sending lobsters overseas.

China is a major buyer of lobsters, and the country imposed a heavy tariff on exports from the U.S. in early July amid trade hostilities between the two superpowers. Exporters in the U.S. said their business in China has dried up since then.

Wholesale prices for live lobsters have also dipped a bit as dealers have lost markets. Prices in July and August were both slightly less than the same month in the previous year, business publisher Urner Barry reported.

One exporter, The Lobster Co. of Arundel, Maine, resorted to laying off four people, which constituted 25 per cent of its wholesale staff, said Stephanie Nadeau, the company’s owner.

“I can cut my variable costs and tuck my head in and see if this storm passes,” she said. “What they’ve done is made it so everybody is the remaining

Price goes down, down.”

China applied the tariffs to a suite of American seafood products, including tuna and crab. It made the move at a time when many Chinese are acquiring a taste for American lobster. China’s American lobster imports grew from $108.3 million in 2016 to $142.4 million last year, and the country barely imported any American lobster a decade ago.

The numbers are already starting to tail, as China’s July lobster imports from the U.S. were down more than $2 million this July compared with July 2017, according to statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

China isn’t dependent on the U.S. for lobster because the country can increase its imports of the same product from Canada. That is worrisome for the lobster industry because it could hurt American business, as well as change the logistics of the worldwide supply chain, said market analyst John Sackton, founder of SeafoodNews.com.

Changes could be especially hard on lobster businesses in fighting over customers. margins go Maine, where the lobster industry is based, Sackton said.

“I think there is a real issue, and the Maine industry is likely to get hurt,” he said.

The whole sale per-pound price of a 1.25-pound lobster dipped from $8.81 in August 2017 to $8.33 last month. But the price of lobster is complicated by factors such as the volume of catch, and reflects much more than just the amount of shipping to China, which doesn’t ramp up considerably until the colder months.

Prices to domestic consumers have held steadily in the $7-to$10 range, though some vendors have resorted to dropping prices to $5 or less. But that’s typical of the end of the summer, when the leaves turn and tourists start to flee New England.

The industry will learn more about the toll of the tariffs later in the year, when most of the shipping overseas takes place, said Emily Lane, who works in marketing and exporting for Cape Seafood in Saco, Maine.

“I think we’re still looking at what the impact is going to be,” she said. “I’ve had some customers point out I’m not as competitive in the market due to the tariffs they have to pay.”