Question Period Note: Lobster Season Opening

What are the protocols for opening the commercial lobster fisheries in Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34?

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) prioritizes safe openings.
• DFO holds pre-opening weather calls with lobster harvesters, the Canadian Coast Guard, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. DFO then decides on actual opening dates based on the forecast and harvester input.
• Lobster Fishing Areas 33 and 34 are scheduled to open on the last Monday in November, depending on the weather. This year, LFA 33 opened on November 29, and LFA 34 opened on December 5.

• The opening of Lobster Fishing Area 33 has been delayed due weather and on the recommendation of industry until Tuesday, November 28th.
• For the same reasons, the opening of Lobster Fishing Area 34 has also been delayed. A day to open has not yet been selected.
• Each year, the last Monday of November marks ‘Dumping Day’, the seasonal start for Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) 33 and 34 in southwest Nova Scotia.
• On Dumping Day lobster traps are set throughout LFAs 33 and 34, where they will be hauled and re-set on a regular basis, until the season closes at the end of May.
• For LFA 33 and 34 pre-season weather calls are scheduled. As per established practice, representatives from each LFA Advisory Committee will participate in conference calls with staff from DFO, Canadian Coast Guard, as well as Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to discuss Dumping Day. These calls provide the fishing industry the opportunity to recommend a change to the season opening date based on the weather forecast and safety concerns. On each call, the predicted weather and sea conditions are discussed. If the forecast calls for winds in excess of 26 knots, the opening is automatically delayed.
• If the season is not automatically delayed due to wind speed, the industry representatives vote on whether the environmental conditions (e.g. waves, wind direction) are suitable for a safe opening. More than 50% of representatives must be in favour of the opening.
• If there is a decision made to delay, the pre-opening weather calls continue until a day is selected.
• With over 1600 commercial licences, these are Canada’s largest lobster fisheries.
• In 2020-2021, about 1,500 vessels, and 4,100 vessel captains and crew, participated in the southwest Nova Scotia lobster fishery during the season.
• LFAs 33 and 34 licence holders had landings of almost 24 million kgs (preliminary figures) in 2021-2022, generating a landed value of approximately $567.6 million (preliminary figure).
• FSC fishing may occur, within or outside of a commercial season, subject to conservation.

If pressed
• FSC fishing seasons are not affected by the delayed start to the commercial fishing season in LFA 33 and LFA 34.
• DFO recognizes and respects the constitutionally-protected priority of Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) fishing, after conservation, over other uses of the resource.
• Timing of FSC fishing is based on conservation and the needs of the community as discussed during fishery planning consultations with DFO.

If pressed: Compliance Monitoring
• As part of their regular duties, fishery officers are on the water and at wharves providing education, and conducting high-visibility vessel patrols and inspections to verify compliance with the Fisheries Act.
• I cannot comment on any ongoing investigations.