UPDATED MONDAY MORNING: Lobster season delayed until Thursday

By Tina Comeau

NovaNewsNow.com

Lobster fishermen eager to start their commercial lobster fishery in lobster fishing area 34 may have to wait until Thursday to dump their traps at sea.

The weather forced a cancellation to the start of the season on Monday.

Following a Monday morning conference call between DFO and industry, the decision was made to hold off dumping day until 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

There will, however, be another conference call on Tuesday to see if there can be a change to this plan. However for the time being, the forecast is calling for gale force winds over the next couple of days.

Thousands of fishermen in Yarmouth County and parts of Digby and Shelburne counties were in standby mode heading into Monday morning as the weather and tides were forcing the postponement to the start of the commercial lobster fishery off southwestern Nova Scotia.

Boats in lobster fishing area (LFA) 34, which spans from Burns Point, Digby County to Goose Point, Shelburne County, were to have left their wharves at 6 a.m. on Monday for dumping day. Instead, a conference call was held between DFO and port reps at 7 a.m. on Monday to determine when the season will get underway.

There had been talk throughout the weekend that the start of the season was threatened because of the forecasted weather.

Some fishermen weren't sure Saturday whether to bait their traps or hold off, while others went ahead in a business as usual mode.

Much of that bait may now have to be changed since it would be stale by the time Thursday morning rolls around.

Originally a conference call had been held late Sunday morning and, despite the fact the weather was borderline, the decision was made to start the season at its usual time. A large majority of fishing representatives had polled their members and their choice was to leave the wharves at 6 a.m.

But Anne Sweeney of DFO, reached Sunday evening at 8 p.m., said during the day on Sunday the weather forecast had deteriorated and fishermen and DFO had a change of heart.

She said the concerns stemmed from a combination of the forecasted winds and the higher than normal tides.

DFO staff monitored the updated 3 a.m. weather forecast prior to Monday morning's conference call.

The last Monday of November is traditionally known as dumping day. It is the day that boats leave their wharves loaded with hundreds of traps to dump at sea. Each licence holder is allowed 375 pots. Some of the larger boats will dump these traps in one trip. Others will do it in two or three.

Because of the weighted down boats, dumping day is considered the most risky of all days during the six-month the lobster season.

DFO and Coast Guard cutters and vessels, along with Canadian military search and rescue helicopter and planes are tasked on the opening days of the season to keep an eye on fishermen and respond to any emergencies or problems.

There are two lobster fishing areas whose seasons start the last Monday of November.

LFA 33, which stretches from Goose Point, Shelburne County to Cole Harbour, Halifax County, proceeded as nromal on Monday. Boats left those wharves at 7 a.m. Compared to LFA 34, boats in LFA 33 don't venture out as far to drop their pots.