Lobster fishers help drive valuable research
Studies monitor trends affecting sea life
TRURO, N.S. - Another challenge – and opportunity – facing lobster fishermen today is climate change.
Warming seas are pushing lobster colonies up from the coasts of Massachusetts and Connecticut north to Atlantic Canada.
According to marine biologist Melanie Giffin, a record amount of new lobster are being born on the seabed off Prince Edward Island. Lobster larvae are collected in small cages and picked up by scientists.
“For now, we’re seeing their numbers increasing, but unfortunately there’s always the possibility of seeing what’s happening in the States occurring here,” said Giffin, who works for the PEI Fishermen’s Association Ltd.
She’s also noted an increase in numbers of other species, such as North Atlantic right whales and more Chub mackerel in the waters off P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.
Research is carried out with input from fishermen. Topics of interest include species migration, as well as if prey consumed by lobster and other marine species will be enough to sustain their populations. Giffin and other researchers from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans act and monitor trends affecting sea life.
“It’s really beneficial to have research coming from fishermen,” said Giffin.
However, fishermen are having trouble obtaining enough lobster bait, likely due to overfishing.
P.E.I. fisherman Craig Avery said he uses mackerel, redfish and herring, which for him are increasingly hard to come by.
“The biomass of a lot of bait is down,” he said.
He said his home province has undertaken conservation measures, such as fitting escapefriendly meshes on cages that allow baby lobster to escape unharmed.
P.E.I. has also instituted a one-cent levy per pound of lobster caught, which goes toward marketing and advertising.
The Jan. 29 Ocean to Plate – Lobster Industry Research Forum brought together fishermen, industry experts, the federal government and researchers from 19 different universities and colleges throughout the Atlantic region, under the umbrella of Springboard Atlantic.