FREDERICTON (GNB) – Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet is applauding the federal government’s recent decision to increase the minimum size for lobster harvested in the western half of the Northumberland Strait.
“Increasing the minimum lobster size will result in fishers getting better prices for their catch and will create a more sustainable industry in the long term,” said Doucet. “I am pleased that our federal colleagues made the best decision for the industry.”
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced last week that the minimum size for lobster carapace in Lobster Fishing Area 25 will gradually increase over three years. The legal harvesting size increases by one millimetre this season to a minimum of 73 mm, with a further increase to 75 mm next season and 77 mm in 2018.
Larger lobsters are good news for the industry as a whole, Doucet said. He added that fishers and processors welcomed the federal government’s announcement.
“For fishers, bigger lobsters mean better prices; for processors, larger lobsters are more cost-effective because they result in better yield,” he said. “And for everyone involved in the industry, larger lobsters should increase egg production, which will contribute to the stability of the stock for future generations.”
Lobster Fishing Area 25 covers parts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Of the 721 licences issued in the zone, 470 are held by New Brunswickers.
29-05-16