PEI

Northumberland Strait fall lobster fishery will finally get going Sunday

The fall lobster fishery in the Northumberland Strait will begin Sunday following days of delay due to poor weather.

Season was supposed to start Wednesday but weather got in the way

A lobster boat laden with traps.
With a heavy load of traps aboard as lobster boats kick off each season, fine weather is required for safety reasons. (Marsha Cusack)

The fall lobster fishery in the Northumberland Strait will begin on Sunday, Aug. 13, following days of delay due to poor weather.

Traps were originally due to be set on Wednesday, but high winds have kept boats from P.E.I., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia off the water. For safety reasons, relatively good weather is required for setting day, when boats are piled high with lobster traps.

Fishermen and Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials first decided to delay the start during a conference call Tuesday, and have been waiting ever since for a good weather window to start the season.

A fifth conference call Friday morning confirmed the season start date. Traps will be set on Sunday, with the first landings on Monday.

Lobster fishing area or LFA 25 covers the Northumberland Strait from Victoria to North Cape, P.E.I., and includes fishermen in southern P.E.I., northwestern Nova Scotia and southeastern New Brunswick.