Lobster fishermen trying to claw out a living

By Sherry Martell

FOR THE SOU’WESTER

Low lobster prices and record high fuel costs have some North Shore, N.S. fishermen wondering if they’ll survive another season.

Most fishermen received a shore price of about $4.50 per pound for the smaller canner-sized lobsters and $5 per pound for the larger market-sized for their first haul of the season, about $1 less per pound than 2007.

“Fuel is going to be a big thing this year,” said Cape John fisherman Robert Patriquin after bringing in a disappointing first catch.

“I won’t be fishing if the catches are down. I’ll quit and haul the boat home it’s just not worth it. We’ve got to have at least 150 pounds.”

However, he remained optimistic and believes landings will improve as the water warms and the season progresses.

“We’re at about half of what we had last year at this time, but I’m optimistic it will come,” he said.

In his area, fishermen were bringing in between 200 and 300 pounds of lobsters.

(Sherry Martell is a journalist with Transcontinental Media’s Truro Daily News, which is a contributor to the Sou’Wester.)