Fishermen recover lost traps from P.E.I. waters
'Them going out and looking for ghost-type gear is a positive'
After the spring lobster season came to a close, some fishermen on P.E.I. went back onto the water to help recover missing gear.
Fisheries and Communities Minister Jamie Fox applauded the efforts of fishermen from Lennox Island and the Western Gulf Fishermen's Association for pulling 59 traps and a gill net from P.E.I. waters, a news release said.
Recovering "ghost" gear — as some fishermen call missing traps, buoys and ropes — prevents the ongoing trapping of lobsters and reduces the possibility of animals such as North Atlantic right whales becoming entangled.
"Them going out and looking for ghost-type gear is a positive, not only on the fishing side but also for the environment and the industry," Fox told CBC News.
"Of course we have the right whale issue and it helps alleviate that contact with those mammals."
Fox said the fishermen's efforts would help free hundreds of lobsters.
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With files from Angela Walker