Northumberland Strait fall lobster fishery opens in favourable conditions

The fall lobster season is officially underway in Lobster Fishing Area 25 after several delays.

The area includes fishers in southern P.E.I., northwestern Nova Scotia and southeastern New Brunswick.

The season was supposed to start Wednesday but was pushed back because of poor weather.

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Charlie McGeoghegan, the chair of the Lobster Fishers of P.E.I. Marketing Board, says boats headed out early Sunday morning to set their traps.

"Anytime you can get a setting day where the weather is good and everybody's safe, they're optimistic," McGeoghegan said.

Most of the product caught in the spring is either already sold or spoken for — driving up demand for this season's catch, he said.

Fishers are hopeful this will increase prices per pound, compared to the year before, which saw canners sell for $5-5.50 per pound and the larger market lobsters between go for $6-6.50, McGeoghegan said.

This year's prices haven't been confirmed but McGeoghegan said they're expected to go up "a couple dollars at least."

The season usually starts between Aug. 9-10, but high winds this year pushed it back.

Fishermen and Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials first decided to delay the start during a conference call on Aug. 8 and waited for a good weather window to start the season. A fifth conference call on Aug. 11 confirmed the season start date.

For safety reasons, relatively good weather is required for setting day, when boats are piled high with lobster traps.

Mark Arsenault, president of the Prince County Fishermen's Association, said Sunday presented "beautiful" weather on the water.

After leaving the dock at 6 a.m., he and his crew set 250 traps and finished up around 1 p.m. "They're still smiling, so they're not too tired, I don't think."

Trying to cover costs 

Arsenault, who's fished for more than 40 years, hopes the market this season will be better than last when the cost per pound barely covered expenses, he said.

Just under 220 P.E.I. fishers operate in LFA 25.

"I was talking to one of my board members, he said [the mood on] the wharf was really good," said Arsenault.

Marc-Antoine Gauvin, who fishes out of Aboiteau Wharf in Cap-Acadie, N.B., said the best catches of the year are usually the first few days of the fishery.

"It's the best feeling because we wait for that for the whole year and now it's time to shine," said Gauvin. "We have a beautiful day."

It's unusual to start the season on a Sunday, but he said because of delays fishers agreed to make an exception

Gauvin said he's just happy his traps are in the water.

Each year brings different weather but he said it's something fishers must adapt to and work around.

"It's a good stress to have, overall [I'm] feeling good," said Gauvin.