Delays to season for some N.S. lobster fishers spark calls for 'dumping day' changes

Repeated delays to the start of the lobster fishing season in part of Nova Scotia's most lucrative fishery have some harvesters calling for a change to the rules to prevent the money-burning setback in years ahead.

The launch of the season, known as dumping day, happens on the last Monday in November for Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34 — two large fishing regions that wrap around the southwest coast of the province.

This year, that fell on Nov. 30.

LFA 33 started on schedule, but because of potentially unsafe weather conditions in LFA 34, dumping day for that area was called off. It has been put off several times since then and as of Monday morning, fishing crews were on standby, hoping for a break in the weather.

Lobster fisherman Michael Larkin said he'd like to see some flexibility added to the rules around dumping day to ensure it isn't pushed this far into December again. 

If dumping day falls on Nov. 27 or later and the weather forecast looks poor a few days ahead of time, Larkin said fishers should be allowed to go out early.

He said he's rarely seen a delay like this year's in more than three decades of fishing.

Delays cause financial strain

Although seemingly an anomaly, he said it's still "a lot of stress on everybody."

"December, the first part of the season, is lucrative. The first three or four weeks of your season is usually the best. So the longer we're delayed, the harder it is for everybody financially as well," Larkin said.

Many expenses start on dumping day regardless of whether lobster are being landed. Larkin pointed to wages for crew members who are paid to be on standby, as one example.

Also, the decision to postpone sometimes comes with short notice, as was the case one day last week when the launch was called off just an hour before crews were expecting to head out on the water. So, Larkin said, captains keep their boats stocked and ready to go with food and other supplies.

"People have to keep their generators going or their engines running to keep their freezers or fridges going."

Change requires DFO approval

Larkin, a representative for the port of Lower East Pubnico, said he and other port reps from around LFA 34 meet twice a year with officials from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and he expects the proposed change for dumping day will be on the agenda for their next meeting in 2021.

A spokesperson for DFO said the department "has not received anything" on the proposal and could not provide any details about the process for changing the rules around dumping day before deadline.

Curtis Halliday said he's quite confident there will be some change to rules before next season, although the details will take some careful consideration. 

While Larkin's suggestions suit Halliday, a fisherman and representative for the Shag Harbour Bear Point port, he said it can be a challenge to set rules for LFA 34 because of its size — the coastline it touches runs from Digby Neck to Barrington — and there are more than 900 commercial licences in the area.

"The problem lies in that LFA 34 is such a big area. What works for one end of the district may not work so well for the other," said Halliday.

In the meantime, Halliday said he and his crew are anxiously waiting for the season to start.

"But at the same time, it's a safety issue and it is what it is. You can't make the weather."