MP Keddy to announce ACOA funding for the Atlantic Lobster Moult and Quality Project

A news conference will be held in Shelburne on Thursday where Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of ACOA and Member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret’s, will make an announcement concerning funding for the Atlantic Lobster Moult and Quality Project.

The funding announcement is being made under ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF).

The Jan. 17 news conference begins at 1 p.m. at the Nova Scotia Community College in Shelburne, N.S., which is located at 1575 Lake Road.





Background about the project:

The average landed value of Atlantic Canada’s lobster catch is estimated at $1 billion annually. The scope of the industry is substantial and includes 10,000 independent fishermen, 500 licensed buyers, 400 shippers and 40 processors.

Because of this significant value, lobster is considered the most important species of the Canadian fishery.

The southwest Nova Scotia lobster fishery is responsible for approximately 40 per cent of Atlantic Canada’s total lobster landings. For the past four years, this fishery has experienced economic hardships, resulting from increased lobster mortalities, decreased saleable value for live product, and loss of international markets due to the occurrence of ‘soft shell’ lobster and low meat yield.