Ocean Choice, P.E.I. begin talks on lobster processing contract

Officials with the P.E.I. government and St. John's-based Ocean Choice met for more than five hours over the weekend, beginning talks on revamping the lobster processing contract between the two.

The meetings started Friday in St. John's and continued Saturday morning.

Ocean Choice CEO Blaine Sullivan described the discussions as cordial and wide-ranging, covering the current state of seafood processing in P.E.I. and around the world. He said it was an exploratory meeting, and more detailed discussions will follow.

The province is looking at changing the deal it made with Ocean Choice when that company bought out Polar Foods five years ago. Polar Foods was about to go bankrupt when the province purchased it, and then sold it soon after to Ocean Choice.

As part of the deal, P.E.I. agreed not to grant any new lobster processing licences, and not to provide assistance to any lobster processors without providing equivalent assistance to Ocean Choice.

Since the deal was signed, fishermen have complained it gives the company too large a share of lobster processing on the Island.

Sullivan said the P.E.I. delegation agreed to get back to the company by Wednesday to set a date for a followup session.