By Michael Gorman
NovaNewsNow.com
The province's Minister of Fisheries says he is taking a wait-and-see approach to the upcoming lobster season.
Ron Chisholm said that while the low cost of lobster in some areas and sagging economy are causes for concern, he's holding out hope that there will be some improvements by the time the lobster season in this area, one of the largest of them all, is up and running. "The U.S. being our largest market for lobster, we always have concerns," he said.
As lobster goes for as little as $3 a pound south of the border and the present state of the world economy suggests that there might not be as much of a market for a product many deem a luxury item, Chisholm said one of the saving graces for our lobsters could be the declining value of the Canadian dollar. "The dollar, where it's at right now, it's probably helpful," he said. "(The situation) may sort itself out by the time lobster season comes; we certainly hope it does."
Helping industry is nothing new for the provincial government. In recent years the province has invested millions of dollars in the pork industry and farming in general.
Although there have been no concrete talks to this point, Chisholm said the state of the industry could dictate such a need for the lobster industry. The minister pointed to the government program in place now that helps fishermen purchase boats and the upcoming program that will help fishermen purchase licences. He said that is proof that the government is already helping the industry, but that something else could happen if necessary. "The fishery will be, as far as I'm concerned and my department is concerned, on top of the list to be there when and if we have to help."
If help does come, Chisholm does not expect it will be in the form of a fuel subsidy. Although the price of fuel is an important consideration for fishermen, Chisholm said the combination of declining market prices and no budgeted program in place would make it difficult to suddenly create such a program.
Chisholm said he is taking an optimistic approach to the industry, but one aspect that always causes him concern is the state of the stock. "We put a tremendous pressure on the stock every year and it does concern me a bit," he said. "The lobster fishery — all of the fisheries — it has its ups and it has its downs. It always seems to be able to rebound . . . But I guess the pressure on stocks, I do think about that from time to time."
