Funding announced to help support quality of harvested lobster

The federal and provincial governments have announced funding aimed at improving the quality and value of harvested lobster.

The Maritime Fishermen's Union will receive $411,000 through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund.

"The goal is to update technology we're using," said MFU vice-president Gordon Beaton, a lobster fisherman out of Ballantynes Cove in Antigonish County.

"It will help update it to maintain lobster quality."

The funding announcement was held Friday at the wharf in Lismore, Pictou County.

The funds will help the lobster fishery in the southeastern Northumberland Strait, eastern Cape Breton and southwest Nova Scotia.

Systems to measure water quality will be installed or upgraded on vessels.

The funding will also provide crew members with canopy extensions to create more shade, lobster sorting tables and automatic lobster banding equipment.

"It focuses on getting the lobster out of the water and maintaining that quality before it gets off the vessel," said Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister Steve Craig.

"We need to ensure that when it comes out of the water that it remains good and healthy as it begins to move through the process."

The financial contribution comes from the $400-million Atlantic Fisheries Fund that is jointly supported by the federal and provincial governments.