KINGMAGAZINE LOBSTERF A L L 2 0 1 7 The American lobster page 18

Apparent black market developing via Indigenous/ non-native involvement in food fishery page 10

Proposed tax changes would prove costly to the fisherypage 14

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Publication Information

King Lobster magazine is a joint publication of the Coldwater Lobster As- sociation and CRE8 Art Centre Ltd (Marketing). We try to include all licensed lobster fishermen in District 34. All rights reserved. Contents reproduced only with consent of Coldwater Lobster Association. Articles and information in this magazine represent the opinions of the writers and the information that, to the best of our knowledge was accurate at time of writing. CUSTOM MADE LOBSTER TRAPS Published November 2017 for the Coldwater Lobster Association: 368 Main Street, Suite 105 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, B5A 1E9; Phone: 902-742-5247 Email: [email protected] For more information please contact us at: Published by: CRE8 Art Centre Ltd (Marketing); 1043 Hwy 335, Middle West Pubnico, NS B0W 2M0. Editor: Kevin Bottaro; Design and Production: Allison Churchill; Publisher: Walter Niekamp 902-762-3314 902-762-0124, e-mail: [email protected] or e-mail: [email protected] Cover image courtesy of Patrick Lancot; www.spectra71.productions

KING LOBSTER Magazine 3 President’s message Bernie Berry

Dear members and supporters, via the Indigenous food fishery, including non-native involvement. While ensuring the letter of the law Welcome to the Fall 2017 edition of King Lobster is followed and our own fishery isn’t hurt, we must Magazine. As we get ready for another season in the remain sensitive to Indigenous rights. fishery, we do so keeping in mind a number of chang- es that could have a notable effect on our livelihood. Whatever we face, good or bad, the Coldwater Lob- ster Association is at the forefront of ensuring our I would like to first highlight the success of Septem- voices are heard. If you want to be part of a progres- ber’s 2nd Annual South West Nova Lobster Forum. sive, forward-thinking and well-respected group of We continue to prove that collaboration with neigh- lobster fishermen, please contact myself or any bouring fishery organizations is not only necessary, board member. Remember, there is strength but it works. In a time where we face many issues in numbers. collectively, teamwork is essential. Thank you to all who attended. Super Sea Mesh One of the summer’s biggest stories in our world was unfortunately a tragic one. Multiple deaths of endan- gered North Atlantic right whales cast a dark shadow Aquamesh over our waters, and led to certain changes for vessels in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We as lobster fishermen must also do our part to ensure the whales’ safety going forward. N.S. Oldest Now Offering Proposed tax changes by the federal government are Trap Worm Resistant also rightly facing a ton of backlash. Lobster fisher- Builders Wood men are among those set to be hindered by them, and considering the unique obstacles we already deal with, we need to ensure the government truly under- We will manufacture quality wire lobster traps to your stands their implications. specifi cations. We also carry kit specials and have pre-maid traps on hand for your convenience. Another thing the federal government is planning for 90 Days No Payment is an at-sea observer program. The idea itself is fine and worthwhile, but DFO’s proposal is not the way it No Interest should be executed. The fishery itself can do better. ask about our 6 month plan! Proud supporters of Digby Lobster Bash Finally, we have a newer and more controversial issue Hardscratch Road Yarmouth transpiring: an apparent black market developing Phone: (902) 742-8807 Fax: (902) 742-4442 Debit & Most credit cards accepted 7072745

4 KING LOBSTER Magazine COLDWATERCOLDWATER LOBSTER

ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION www.coldwaterlobster.ca www.coldwaterlobster.ca Who We Are… Through our president and board of directors, we aim to be the organized collective voice for all Who WeThrough Are… our President and Board of Directors, we aim to be the organized collective voice for 985 lobster license holders in LFA 34 all 985 lobster license holders in LFA 34 Through our President and Board of Directors, we aim to be the organized collective voice for all 985 lobsterOur Mission… license holders in LFA 34 “The Coldwater Lobster Association, through The Coldwater Lobster Association through Our Mission…services to members, will work to ensure a safe, services to members will work to ensure a safe, sustainable and prosperous lobster fishery in LFA The Coldwater34sustainable for current Lobster and and prosperous Associationfuture generations. lobster through fishery The infishery LFA servicesand34 to for themembers current world aroundand will future work us are generations. to constantly ensure aThe evolving, safe, fishery and the world around us are constantly evolving sustainableand it and is extremely prosperous important lobster that fishery fishermen in LFA be and it is extremely important that fishermen be 34 for currentboth aware and of future the changes generations. and in a positionThe fishery to influenceboth aware changes of the changesthat are andimpacting in a position the industry.” to and theinfluence world around changes us that are are constantly impacting evolvingthe industry . and it is extremely important that fishermen be What we do… both awareRepresent of the lobster changes licence and holders in a position in LFA 34 to to influenceaddressRepresent changes the lobster ever-increasing that arelicence impacting holders list of industryinthe LFA industry 34 issues to . foraddress the betterment the ever increasing of its members list of industry and industry. issues What Ourforwe the activitiesdo… betterment focus of its memberson: and industry. Our activities focus on: Represent lobster• Services licence holders in LFA 34 to  Services• Market to Members address the Marketever• Advocacy increasing and Business list Developmentof industry issues for the betterment Advocacy of its members and industry. Our activities focus on:

 ServicesTable toCONTACT Members of Contents US:  Market Coldwaterand Business Lobster Development Association CONTACT US:  Advocacy 368 Main Street, Suite 105 Coldwater Lobster Association Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, B5A 1E9 1024 Lakeside Rd, Phone: 902-742-5247 Milton Highlands, NS TableEmail: of [email protected] CONTACTB5A 5K1 US: (902)742-6325 Coldwater Lobster Association [email protected] 1024 Lakeside Rd, Milton Highlands, NS

B5A 5K1 KING LOBSTER Magazine 5 (902)742-6325 [email protected] Dixon’s Marine Group 2000 Inc.: This ain’t your grandpa’s boat

As technology evolves, along with environmental and up with the demands of modern-day fishermen. Its economic conditions, you need a boat that will do fibreglass lobster-fishing vessels are known worldwide the job no matter what. No one in South West Nova for their combination of form and function, and can Scotia understands that better than Dixon’s Marine be built from the hull to the finished product. Fully Group 2000 Inc. customizable, each provides many years of safe and productive fishing; none better than the Offshore Family owned and operated, Dixon’s has been Dixon 50’, with its greater engine-room and fish-hole involved in the fishing industry since 1981. Their areas, depth, fuel efficiency and more. vessels are built by experienced hands, and with the winter commercial season in mind. The company Not only does Dixon’s create ideal vessels, its full-ser- is always adding to and improving product, keeping vice yard can handle any repairs, refits and storage

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6 KING LOBSTER Magazine on-site. Expanded in 2013, the yard is capable of housing more and larger vessels. A 100-ton hydraulic lift trailer can accommodate up to 65 feet long and 30 feet wide. Be it storage, hauling out, welding or beyond, Dixon’s can take care of you.

As time goes by, the lobster fishery faces more chal- Dixon’s Marine Group 2000 Inc.: lenges than ever before. The industry itself is volatile, and potentially readying for a sea change. The days of a smaller vessel for smaller needs in a smaller mar- This ain’t your grandpa’s boat ket are gone, with demand and expenses ever rising. That means longer days at sea for fishermen, with a requisite longer list of needs. From a new purchase to modifications, repairs and anything else, Dixon’s Marine Group 2000 Inc. builds vessels today’s fisher- ies can count on – sportfishing, tuna, shellfish, crab and of course, lobster.

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KING LOBSTER Magazine 9 Apparent black market developing via Indigenous/ non-native involvement in food fishery

1990’s landmark Sparrow decision Yarmouth, they were held to cre- Court of Canada’s Marshall deci- by the Supreme Court of Canada ate government awareness and sion outlined Indigenous fisher- confirmed the right of Indigenous ensure a response to any men’s right to make a moderate peoples to fish for food, social and illegal activity. living from the fishery within ceremonial purposes. It is a right the commercial season. We do we fully recognize and support, Let it be known that we in the certainly hope for a quick, ap- but concern is mounting over a non-Indigenous lobster fishery are propriate and peaceful resolution select few within the First Nations, interested in nothing more than to this growing issue. Indigenous along with non-native involve- fair play and following the rules. communities have every right to ment on the water and non-native Accusations have flown about their food, social and ceremonial involvement on the shore buying Indigenous boats being tampered fishery, but out-of-season com- this illegal product, who are using with, and while we haven’t heard mercialization is banned for all of it to unfair advantage. of any such incidents they would us. Honouring that is hopefully not be condoned. The Supreme something we can do as one. DFO regulations clearly state that Indigenous fishermen are not allowed to commercialize their catches outside the regular sea- Let’s Make Safety a Habit son. However, a large amount of lobsters landed are indeed being turned into profit. That is not only in everything we do! against the rules, but harmful to the market for non-Indigenous fishermen. This type of activity happens because of a breakdown in management and enforcement of the FSC fishery. Enhancing Safety

Members of the Coldwater Lobster 50 Queens Place Drive, Box 903 Association were among those Liverpool, NS, B0T 1K0 who took part in September’s 902-354-6001 | [email protected] peaceful protests. Held at DFO offices in Tusket, Meteghan, www.fisheriessafety.ca Digby and Lobster Rock Wharf in

10 KING LOBSTER Magazine Possible fishery response to right whale deaths

It was a deadly and tragic summer a right whale sighting. Overall port into it, and disentanglements for North Atlantic right whales. moves to meet NOAA standards of were halted until its release. The endangered species numbers protection by 2022 are also being only around 500 worldwide, and considered. Regardless of where right (and saw at least 11 carcasses discov- other) whales are killed, we all ered in the Gulf of St. Lawrence What we do know is a new set of have a responsibility as fishermen alone. More have been found off rules for Canada’s fisheries are to protect them. From the Gulf New England, and both DFO and coming. Federal Minister Dominic of St. Lawrence to LFA 34’s own America’s National Oceanic and LeBlanc has said they’ll be insti- Gulf of Maine, through our ef- Atmospheric Association (NOAA) tuted for next year’s migration forts we can stabilize and grow a are now investigating. season, and will cover gear, other population of marine mammals; equipment and practices. In the this will be met with admiration Necropsies done on multiple car- meantime he ordered a stop to and support from afar. While we casses found the cause of death, in disentangling whales, a move that catch the ocean’s most treasured some cases, to likely be either en- followed the death of rescuer Joe crustacean, let us be vigilant in tanglement in fishing gear or blunt Howlett during one such July inci- keeping one of its most treasured force trauma, the latter being from dent in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. mammals safe and free. collisions with ships. DFO has Transport Canada undertook a re- since required vessels of 20 metres or more in size to slow down to 10 knots while passing through the western Gulf, enacted in consulta- tion with the fishing and shipping industries. The fine for not doing so goes up to $25,000, and smaller ships – while not under the rule itself – are encouraged to obey the Im not sure this is a limit as well. Surveillance is also being done over the area. picture of a While none of the right whales died in LFA 34 waters, there could still be measures taken locally to Right Whale? curb incidents. Reporting sight- ings is one, with a hotline and/or other methods possible. Laminate paper outlining different local marine mammals would also help fishermen identify a specific whale species, and be extra vigilant after

KING LOBSTER Magazine 11 My Grandfather’s Fishery By Laurent d’Entremont

My grandfather, Adolph O. d’Entremont, may not mostly barrels of salt herring that were hauled near have been one of the “top dogs” at fishing but as a the shore in ox carts a few days before fishing started. storyteller, yarning about the early days of fishing, he They kept these under tree branches so the sun would was the very best. In his 90 years on Earth my grand- not heat the barrel and blow the top off. Fishing in do- father had many stories to tell. I remember hearing ries was backbreaking work where fifty or so pounds him at Stillman’s Barber Shop spinning yarns about of fish were considered a good day’s work, but on the his fishing days of the early 1900s. You could hear a credit side they were their own bosses, had very little pin drop… I doubt that he knew how good he was as expenses, and only fished in good weather. At noon a storyteller, many priests and preachers would have they would row ashore, make a fire and on some days given a part of their soul for his gift of holding an the crustacean would boil in an old covered pot and audience…and I would too. one can almost be sure that the two fishermen did not worry that gun toting officers dressed in green He often told of the three schooners (Bluenose type) would appear and measure their noontime meal. It that he had skippered before and during World War would not have mattered; there was no size limit in One. There was the Clark L. Corkum and the fast-sail- those days. They fished a mile or so along the shore, ing Springwood plus his own ship The Cupola with never too far from safety should a strong wind catch Pubnico shareholders/ owners. He often said that them off guard. Captain Angus Walters never knew how lucky he was that he had never raced against the Springwood that As a lobster fisherman my grandfather was a lot more sailed like the wind. Otherwise it would have been successful than he was with schooner fishing for cod. the Springwood that would have been immortalized My mother often said the only time they ever saw any on the Canadian dime instead of the Bluenose. We’ll cash was during lobster fishing season. Eventually my never know. grandfather and brother Charles graduated to a 30 foot boat driven by a “one banger” Make-n-Break ma- Adolph Odillon had started lobster fishing with his rine motor. This was a great advantage and they also father in 1898 when he was 13 years old. This was had another small motor as a trap hauler. It was still dory fishing close to shore. They fished fifty traps or hard work but a lot easier than dory fishing. By the so, hauling them up by hand, no self-haulers in those 1930s most lobster boats were bigger and equipped days. Most if not all of the day’s catches were sold to with car motors to operate both the boat and the the canneries that operated nearby. Lobster bait was trap “hauling gear”. The car motors that I remember

12 KING LOBSTER Magazine in boats were either Chevrolets of the day Charles would have his compared with dories of when my or Buicks. Older fishermen would mug-up and tea and I would have grandfather started fishing say, “I wonder if the price of lob- the honour of steering the boat at 13 years of age, this boat had ster will ever reach one dollar a towards home port. Compared the comfort of the Royal pound”. with today’s lobster boats the Yacht Britannia. Laurent et Remi was just a toy but [email protected] I remember the last boat that my grandfather and his brother The experienced business lenders at your locally owned Charles had; it was named the Credit Union understand our local fi shing industry. “Laurent et Remi”. Is there a great- er honour than having your name on a boat? The boat, when new, cost about six hundred dollars. At the end of WWII my grandfather sold his share of this forty foot boat to his brother and retired to the family farm. Happily I can boast that in the early 1960s when the boat was twenty years old I •License Financing •Boat Financing was the hired hand with Uncle Charles. This lobster boat with beautiful lines sailed well with a Yarmouth: 902-742-2123 Wedgeport: 902-663-2525 straight-eight Buick as power…the Tusket: 902-648-2322 Pubnico: 902-762-2372 old Buick was as dependable as www.coastalfinancial.ca the flow of the tide. At the end

KING LOBSTER Magazine 13 Proposed tax changes would prove costly to the fishery

Proposed federal tax changes announced by Finance foreign corporation. Furthermore, there is a general Minister Bill Morneau have seen a large amount of concern in our industry about the continued impact backlash. In an effort to level the playing field, the of foreign investors, and we feel these changes would government wants to eliminate so-called “loopholes” further exacerbate those concerns. that some small-business owners have taken advan- We also have great concern with the proposed rule tage of. The plan is said to be fairer to the middle that capital gains accrued while an individual is under class, but it could have a notably negative effect on the age of 18 are ineligible for the exemption. We our fishery. We feel the majority of the members of often have fishermen who transfer their qualified our fishery would be considered middle class. property to their child, and some of these assets may have taken years to accrue in value. The proposed Changes currently being proposed appear to largely rule would make the capital gains exemption unavail- target self-employed owners who operate solo. The able to the child in the future, on that value. We feel government has proposed to curb those who spread it’s extremely unfair to eliminate this, given the cur- money around by paying a dividend to family mem- rent intergenerational rollover rules to children. This bers, and plan to subject the dividend to similar tests would now force fishermen to sell their operations to applied to a salary. A dividend to a child under 25 the child, so the capital gains exemption is not lost in would have even stricter tests, and be taxed at the the future. maximum dividend rate. Passive investments are also Finally, we truly hope the rules surrounding passive under new scrutiny, as it’s felt they are being used investments are abandoned. Our industry is extreme- to simply avoid being taxed. The idea itself is under- ly cyclical in nature, and there are many years where standable, but its broadness in scope would prove fishermen need to reach back into what they thought very detrimental to too many businesses. were retirement savings in order to keep their busi- ness going. These proposed rules would eliminate the There would be few industries more negatively affect- ability to put this safety net away in the first place. ed by these tax changes than our own. Most every As a consequence, during tough times, many fisher- member of the lobster fishery is not only a small busi- men would be forced to sell their enterprises in order ness, but one with significant family influence. In this to survive. industry, it is the norm to hand down businesses to children, who may be formally or informally involved In summary, we have written this to ensure the gov- beforehand. We already have a significant amount of ernment understands the implications of its plan to regulatory and other red tape when it comes to pass- our industry. The lobster fishery already has a lot ing down a boat, and this modification of taxes would on its plate, now and in the future. We cannot lose ensure that process is much costlier. Whether given that much money, nor the ability to have family in- or sold to a family member, a 27% tax is currently volved in our businesses. Public input was asked for involved in a business-ownership transfer. Under by the government, and we truly hope all of it will the new rules, that could go up to 47%. We struggle be considered. to see why a small-business owner should be taxed higher when dealing with family than if selling to a

14 KING LOBSTER Magazine Catch and Release Me Lobster Moult and Quality Project and Lobster Tagging Project

To better understand lobster movements and growth, a small pilot tagging project was initiated in the fall of this year. A yellow numbered tag was inserted in both sub-legal and legal-size male and female lobsters and released in 4 areas throughout LFA 33 & 34. It has been 25-30 years since any sort of tagging program has occurred in Southwest Nova and it is anticipated that such tagging programs will provide valuable data regarding lobster movements. If a tagged lobster is caught, fishermen are encouraged to document the 4-digit number located on the tag and the coordinates in which the lobster was caught. This information is Over the next few months, Coldwater Lobster’s Lead to be relayed back to Ms. Dagley by email or phone. Biologist, Jennifer Dagley, will once again be out on Fishermen will be rewarded for their efforts with a the water collecting baseline scientific data. The small gift and at the end of the lobster fishing season, Atlantic Lobster Moult and Quality Project (ALMQ) Coldwater Lobster will draw a name from all of the represents a continuation of the long-standing entries for a larger prize. It is imperative that a tagged research initiative has been a collaboration between lobster be returned safely back into the water, in Coldwater Lobster, lobster buyers and scientists. order to continue collecting important data. Since the early 2000s, fluctuations in the quality of Please report your tag information to lobster landed in Southwest Nova Scotia have been Coldwater Lobster Association: noticeably apparent. With higher proportions of soft- Email: [email protected] shell lobsters and lower meated lobsters landed, a Phone: (902) 742-5247 serious economic challenge for the industry has resulted. The ALMQ project collects both water temperature Office data and the biological conditions of lobsters. Blood 368 Main Street, Suite 105 protein levels, shell hardness and Moult stage provide Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, B5A 1E9 an indication of when the moult occurred and the Phone: 902-742-5247 quality of the lobster for the approaching season. Email: [email protected]

KING LOBSTER Magazine 15 Important Numbers

General Inquires in the Maritimes Region: • Shelburne: 902-875-2360 902-426-3550 • Barrington Passage: 902-637-2851 • Tusket: 902-648-5000 Licensing in the Maritimes Region: [email protected] • Meteghan: 902-645-2045 or 902-426-9966 • Digby: 902-245-2544 Toll free: 1-877-535-7307 Area Offices and Research Facilities: Rescue Centre – NS, NB & PEI: Toll free (within region) • Area Office, Yarmouth: 902-742-0870 • Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 1-800-565-1582 or 902-427-8200 Dartmouth: 902-426-2373 Reporting marine pollution or illegal fishing – Alexandra McNab Junior Communications Officer NS, NB & PEI: /Communications Branch Fisheries and Oceans 1-800-565-1633 Canada/Government of Canada Reporting a navigational hazard: [email protected]/ 902-426-9750 Tel: 902-407-8029 Reporting marine mammal distress: Agente subalterne de communications/ 1-866-567-6277 Direction des communications Reporting invasive aquatic species: 1-888-435-4040 Pêches et Océans Canada/ Gouvernement du Canada Fishery Openings and Closures: [email protected]/ • Bridgewater: 902-527-5574 Tél: 902-407-8029 • Liverpool: 902-354-6030

16 KING LOBSTER Magazine At-sea observer plan lacks streamlining, fisher control

DFO plans to institute a manda- Regularly used in commercial cod, cusk, undersized lobsters tory at-sea observer plan for South ground fishing, at-sea observers and crabs end up in our traps and West Nova in the fall of 2018. The would be new to our lobster fishery. the vast majority are returned process, known as hailing out, The Coldwater Lobster Associa- to sea alive. Regardless, we would require lobster fishermen tion is joined by the Bay of Fundy understand a policy for at-sea to notify the department each Inshore Fishermen’s Association, observers will be implemented time they go out to sea. The idea Maritime Fishermen’s Union and in the fall of 2018. This is an is to better monitor the bycatch other potential partners in propos- opportunity for the industry to of everything caught in our traps, ing a method different from the run this program, and to extract but while that in itself is fine, the government. Our plan is ready information that will be helpful to proposed method could be greatly for DFO’s perusal this fall, and it’s the industry moving forward; the improved upon. hoped the department understands data collected would be our data how much better an alternative it (fishermen, association). We do not oppose the overall idea would be. We have always felt the of at-sea observers, but do feel bycatch issue was overblown, as DFO’s method would prove both too cumbersome and expensive. The department is looking at 1% coverage by next year, increasing the level to 5% over a number of years. Not only would we have to hail out each time we go out, our NOTHING boats would be picked at random MATTERS by a computer-driven system (IVR), and an observer would then MORE have up to six hours to get to that location. That could take hours off THAN our day and cost hundreds of dol- lars. We propose training our own COMING technicians, who would notify the HOME fishermen of an at-sea observer day two to three days in advance. This, instead of the hail-out sys- Drawing by Eden, Grade 6, Forest Ridge Academy tem, would streamline the process and save money. Not only that, it would give fishermen control of the process.

KING LOBSTER Magazine 17 The American lobster

By Albert d’Entremont Albert is an easy-going retired educator……..tide comes in, tide goes out.

Lobsters belong to an order of crustaceans called de- marketing of soft-shelled lobsters. In Maine, many capoda, which literally means “ten footed”. More spe- locals and tourists prefer soft-shelled lobsters to cifically, our lobster is a “clawed or true lobster”. The hard-shelled lobsters. Shedders are cheaper to buy Caribbean lobster is part of a different family called and much easier to eat. Those who love them say that “spiny or rock lobsters”. Spiny lobsters have large an- they’re sweeter tasting and more tender. It’s all for- tennae but lack a set of large claws. Chefs sometimes eign to me but it all seems to works well for the Main- use the terms “cold water lobsters” and “warm water ers - the summer lobster fishery, the warm weather lobsters” to distinguish the two families. and the tourist season.

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is found The exoskeleton of a lobster consists of two main along the western shores of the North Atlantic Ocean body regions; the cephalothorax (the body) and the from Labrador to Cape Hatteras. Its close relative, abdomen (the tail). The protective layer of the cepha- the European lobster (Homarus gammarus), is found lothorax is called the carapace. The length of the cara- on the eastern shores and it ranges from Norway to pace is used to determine the size of a lobster that Morocco, including the Mediterranean Sea. Although can be harvested legally. Lobsters, being decapods, very similar, they are considered separate species. have five pairs of legs; one pair of claws and four The most obvious difference is in coloration. pairs of walking legs. On the ventral surface of the Which species is better tasting is an ongoing and abdomen are five pairs of swimmerets and the tail probably a never-ending debate. Which side of the fan (tail fin). pond you’re on most assuredly affect your taste buds. A lobster is a “homard” in France, “hummeri” in Fin- The two claws of a lobster are different in size, shape land and a “hummer” in Norway, Germany, Sweden and function. The “crusher” claw is larger, more and Denmark. robust and contains slow-twitch muscle fibers. This gives the crusher strength and endurance. Lobsters In the United States, and on cruise ships, one often are described as left or right handed depending on hears the term “Maine lobster”. There is absolutely which side has the crusher. The smaller claw, the “pin- no difference between a Maine lobster and a Nova cer (pincher) or ripper”, contains fast-twitch muscle Scotia lobster. They are both Homarus americanus. fibers. Its main function is to tear food apart. Occa- It’s just a marketing strategy. One huge difference sionally, lobsters have two pincers and more rarely between the Maine lobster industry and ours is the two crushers. A one-clawed lobster is a “cull” and a

18 KING LOBSTER Magazine “pistol” has no claws. Lobsters can re-grow their lost and pliable. Also, a cooked female lobster may con- claws but it may take several molts return to tain a bright red mass called “the coral”. This “lobster normal size. caviar” is the roe of the lobster. It’s a treat for some but certainly not for all. Anybody who has tried to pick up a lobster quickly discovers that lobsters can see, however, lobsters Because of all the variations, describing the color of a have poor eyesight. Their eyes are good at detect- lobster is not an easy task. Generally, lobsters are ol- ing motion and not detail. Lobsters experience their ive brown to dark bluish green on the back and much world primarily through taste, smell and touch. The lighter shades of orange or blues underneath. Some legs, antennules, antennae and mouth parts contain of the more striking color rarities are blue, red, yellow, a variety of touch and chemical sensors. Interest- calico and the extremely rare albino. Some are one ingly, lobsters communicate with each other by color on one side and another color on the other side. squirting urine in each other’s faces. A nozzle, under Usually bi-colored lobsters are hermaphrodites with each eye, jets a stream of urine containing chemicals one side being male and the other side female. Except and pheromones that allow lobsters to identify each for albinos, regardless of color when alive, all lobsters other, find mates, etc. turn red when cooked.

Lobsters are sexually dimorph. Cocks (males) have Separating the carapace from the lower body reveals proportionally larger claws and smaller tails than hens the internal organs of the lobster. The white rib-like (females). Females have wider tails and the swim- structures attached to the legs are the gills. Water merets are covered with feathery hairs which serve enters the body through spaces in between the legs, to secure the sticky eggs. The easiest way to sex a moves over the gills and exits through the head. Every lobster is to check the first pair of swimmerets. The few minutes the gill current reverses to flush out the two swimmerets of a male are bony and hard. These system. The first part of the digestive tract, the fore-

swimmeretswajax_marine2017_HR.pdf are used as 1copulatory 2017-05-19 09:54:25 organs in the mat- gut, has a sac containing three grinding plates, known ing process. In females, the two swimmerets are soft as the gastric mill. Its function is to grind the food

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KING LOBSTER Magazine 19 much like the gizzard in a chicken. The middle plate has a bump that some of the elders in my village call “the Virgin Mary in the lobster”. With a little imagi- nation, it looks like the veiled head and shoulders of the Virgin Mary. A chap from the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick told me that some of the old folks from his village had the same story. It’s probably no coincidence that the Virgin Mary is the patron saint of the Acadians.

The midgut is a digestive organ called the tomalley. The green stuff is often described as the liver and pancreas of the lobster. Lobster eaters are divided into two distinct groups; those who love and eat to- malley and those who don’t. In 2014, Health Canada issued an alert about eating too much tomalley because the tomalley in some lobsters was found to contain the toxin of red tide that causes PSP (para- lytic shellfish poisoning). Although there were no confirmed cases of PSP from lobster tomalley, Health Canada recommended that children should not eat tomalley and that adults should only eat the tomalley of one cooked lobster per day. Also, the gelatinous white stuff you see on or inside a cooked lobster is cooked blood. It has little taste but you can eat it. Uncooked lobster blood is clear.

The hindgut, the intestine and the anus complete the rest of the digestive tract. The intestine or “vein” runs the length of the abdomen. This is the grayish to black tube found on the upper part of the tail meat. Most people devein the tail before eating it and others don’t. Although eating it won’t hurt you, I choose to 101 ILSLEY AVENUE, UNIT 4 remove it simply because I know what it is and DARTMOUTH,101 ILSLEY AVENUE, NOVA SCOTIA UNIT 4 B3B 1S8 P: 902-431-6041 F: 902-431-7704 E: [email protected] what’s in it.

Today lobsters are considered a delicacy all over the world but this was not the case in colonial New Eng- North Atlantic Marine Supplies & Services Inc. specialize in the Supply, Manufacture and Design of marine products to the Atlantic land. By some accounts, lobsters were so abundant Canada fishing industry. Our goal is to continue supplying quality at that time that they would wash up on the beaches products that are industry specific and have the desired quality in forming piles two feet high. Lobster was the ultimate accordance with customer requirements. poor man’s food. Lobster was only fed to slaves, pris- Our Inventory consists of: • Marine hardware oners and servants. In Massachusetts, a judge ruled • Netting • Ropes that servants were not to be served lobsters more • Working wire than three times a week. Lobster was also used as • Trawl warps trawl doors • Steel and rubber bobbin animal feed and fertilizer. Fortunately, this all changed • And other related items including by the end of the 1800s and lobsters became the marine industrial work wear esteemed seafood that we know today. North Atlantic Marine Supplies & Services Inc. operates out of our premises on Ilsley Avenue in Dartmouth, NS. We carry a large inventory enabling us to Any comments contact [email protected] supply to the Atlantic Canada fishing industry. NAMSS has two other branches, head office in Paradise, NL and Port au Choix, NL.

20 KING LOBSTER Magazine Collaboration works, and is growing more necessary

A desire to team up with neighbouring fishery organi- LFA 34 has neighbouring Maritime fisheries in 33, 35, zations was realized in earnest last September at the 36 and 38, as well as Area 1 in Maine. Beyond the an- 1st Annual South West Nova Lobster Forum. (Indeed, nual forum, willing participants could attend smaller this September sees its return.) The Coldwater Lob- meetings throughout the year. Being proactive and ster Association was joined by members of Maritime taking control at the grassroots level is vital to the Fishermen’s Union Local 9, as well as the Bay of Fundy long-term health of the fishery, with a united ap- Inshore Fishermen’s Association and Scotia Fundy proach being the strongest way to do so. The Coldwa- Inshore Fishermen’s Association. Roughly 150 attend- ter Lobster Association will continue to advocate for ees heard presentations from Transport Canada, the regional collaboration, and appreciates fellow associa- Environmental Issues Panel and the Lobster Council of tions and others who share in that mindset. Now and Canada. Topics discussed included marine protected into the future, we are stronger together. areas (MPAs), turbines, offshore oil exploration and criteria for new entrants into the fishery. The event was a noted success, and should be part of an even Advertisers Index greater movement. 1) All About Hydraulics & Marine...... P. 3 As we enter the home stretch of 2017, the lobster 2) Anchor Hatches...... P. 8 fishery faces more challenges than ever before. Be- 3) Atlantic Electronics Ltd...... P. 2 yond the already-mentioned issues, the 2017 lobster 4) Barrington Catch...... P. 13 forum looked at how to consider DFO’s plan to imple- 5) CBDC...... P. 8 ment at-sea observers in 2018, tax changes that could 6) CIBC Wood Gundy/Saunders Wealth...... OBC negatively affect fishermen, the Energy East pipeline 7) Coastal Financial...... P. 13 and the tragic deaths of several North Atlantic right 8) Dixon’s Marine Group...... P. 6 whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There are not 9) Fisheries Safety Assc...... P. 10 only potential consequences for LFA 34, but the re- 10) Fox Hill Marine Wire...... P. 3 gion as a whole. In addressing each, we are better off 11) Lunenburg Foundry...... P. 9 in collaboration. 12) North Atlantic Marine...... P. 20 For those that are still skeptical, it should be stressed 13) Novatech Braids...... P. 7 that regional collaboration doesn’t mean the loss of 14) Polysteel...... P. 9 independence. Our respective associations can fall 15) Stright-Mackay...... P. 3 under one umbrella when circumstances present 16) Tusket Ford...... P. 20 themselves, but remain true to ourselves while wel- 17) V&R Traps...... P. 4 coming outside input on shared concerns. Really, the 18) Vernon d’Eon Fishing Supplies...... P. 7 number of things coming at fishermen in the not-too- 19) Wade’s Wire Traps...... P. 9 distant future begs for us to be on the same page. It 20) Wajax...... P. 19 would be a lot to handle alone, and the annual forum 21) West Nova Fuels...... P.9 shows that we can indeed work together. 22) Workers Compensation Board...... P. 17

KING LOBSTER Magazine 21 Government modifies Canadian Controled Private Corp (CCPC) tax rules

October 2017 Although no formal effective date or definitive ap- proach for the taxation of passive investment income With the consultation period on the CCPC tax propos- has been announced, the government recently an- als now behind us, it’s been reported that the govern- nounced a $50,000 annual income threshold that ment received over 21,000 submissions. Now that’s a would permit a private company to accumulate about lot to go through! $1,000,000 of retained earnings in the corporation and not worry about the high rate of tax on up to The good news is that since the close of the consul- $50,000 of income (using a 5% assumed rate) on that tation period, the government has backtracked on capital. some of the proposals and modified others. Let’s walk through what we know so far. But even this modification, while welcome, will create an accounting nightmare for most medium and large You’ll recall that the proposed measures focused on sized private companies, once they reach over $1 mil- three areas: lion of retained earnings.

1. Income Sprinkling among family members, This suggests that perhaps these rules may be further including the multiplication of the lifetime modified once the government has a chance to fur- capital gains exemption (LCGE) ther digest some of the submissions it has received. 2. Passive Investment Income earned within corporations For example, likely one of the largest, most detailed 3. Converting Dividends into Capital Gains and thorough submissions, came from the Joint Com- mittee on Taxation of the Canadian Bar Association In mid-October, the government has announced that and Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. it will not be proceeding with the rules that would have limited multiplication of the LCGE nor would In its submission on the proposed passive investment they proceed with the income conversion rules, income proposals, the Joint Committee points out meant to stop some types of surplus stripping but that there are important non-tax reasons for carry- threatened to negatively affect the transfer of the ing on business activities through a corporation: the family business to the next generation. corporate form limits the business owner’s liability, thereby encouraging risk-taking and facilitates the Of most concern to financial advisors, however, was raising of capital. In fact, longstanding tax policy in the government’s intention to tax corporately-earned Canada has been to reinforce the incentive to con- passive investment income at a combined effective duct business activities through corporations by tax rate, in Ontario, of 73%. Other provinces’ rates are having a substantially lower corporate tax than the even higher. top personal tax rate. Many other jurisdictions have low corporate tax rates relative to the top marginal

22 KING LOBSTER Magazine personal rates and nonetheless do not appear to tax investment income on the same basis as if they were passive income at high rates, as Canada does, or gen- individual investors in fully taxable accounts. “There erally have legislation that penalizes leaving funds in a would be diminished incentives to defer business corporation for investment. consumption, and less income and business saving available for spending on capital equipment,” says Mr. If truth be told, the submission points out, our Laurin. “The same is true of small business income Canadian tax system is actually currently “under-in- retained for personal purposes – there will be greater tegrated,” meaning that there is no meaningful tax incentives for immediate personal consumption of advantage to earning business income through a business income rather than saving it for retirement corporation if that income or other purposes.” is taxed at the general cor- porate tax rate. In fact, in In his report, Mr. Laurin nine of ten provinces, both shows that CCPC income corporate income subject taxed at the general corpo- to the general corporate rate tax rate and reinvested tax rate and investment passively in the corporation income earned by a private enjoys no significant tax ad- corporation are subject to vantages over other saving higher tax rates than would options and that business otherwise apply to such owners earning income income were it earned by taxed at the small-business an individual. tax rate and saving it in the corporation for future per- And, while the Joint Com- sonal consumption enjoy a mittee concedes that the tax treatment pretty much investment of income eli- on par with others saving gible for the small business through an RRSP or a TFSA. rate is, in some (but not all) provinces taxed at a “Considering that additional lower rate, thereby provid- administration, account- ing an advantage, “that advantage is not significant, ing, and tax compliance costs need to be incurred in and the entire system should not be upended merely corporate accounts, one could reasonably conclude to address potential anomalies that arise when corpo- that passively reinvested small-business earnings rate income is taxed at the small business rate.” receive a tax treatment similar to that of RRSP/TFSAs in a variety of possible portfolio compositions” says Meanwhile, a new report out from the C.D. Howe Mr. Laurin. Institute last month claims that Ottawa’s proposed changes for the tax treatment of income from pas- For this editorial, The Saunders Wealth Advisory sive investments in incorporated businesses “will Group of CIBC Wood Gundy draws on the expertise of not achieve its goal of promoting fairness in the tax Jamie Golombek, Managing Director of Tax and Estate system.” The report, entitled “Off Target: Assessing Planning at CIBC Financial Planning & Advice. the Fairness of Ottawa’s Proposed Tax Reforms for “Passive” Investments in CCPCs,” was authored by Alexandre Laurin, who assesses the proposals from a This information, including any opinion, is based on various sources believed to be re- fairness perspective and finds them lacking. liable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. CIBC and CIBC World Markets Inc., their affiliates, directors, officers and employees may buy, sell, or hold a position in securities of a company mentioned herein, its affiliates or subsidiar- Specifically, the proposed regime would end the ies, and may also perform financial advisory services, investment banking or other refundable part of the passive investment income services for, or have lending or other credit relationships with the same. CIBC World Markets Inc. and its representatives will receive sales commissions and/or a spread tax for CCPCs who earn active business income in between bid and ask prices if you purchase, sell or hold the securities referred to their corporations. As a result, private corporations above. © CIBC World Markets Inc. 2017. Clients are advised to seek advice regarding their particular circumstances from their personal tax and legal advisors. (and their owners) would be taxed on their passive

KING LOBSTER Magazine 23 Saunders Wealth Advisory Group

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