KING LOBSTERMAGAZINE Built for the sea! The evolution of Nova Scotia’s lobster boats page 8 A licence for the future page 10 Good luck, bad luck and Friday the thirteenth page 12 Fishing for science page 14 Playing the long game in the Canadian lobster sector page 16 page 16 Canada’s Small Business Tax Specialist Our Services 0HPEHU%HQHȴWV 2XUUHSVFRPHWR\RXUKRPH Tax Planning 1 RUEXVLQHVVVDYLQJ\RXWLPH DQGPRQH\ &RQȴGHQFHWKDW\RXUWD[HVDUH Tax Preparation 2 DFFXUDWHFRPSOHWHDQGPLQLPL]HG $FFHVVWRDȴQDQFLDODGYLVRUIRU Tax Consultation 3 ȴQDQFLDODQGHVWDWHSODQQLQJ DWQRH[WUDFKDUJH $XGLW3URWHFWLRQΖI\RXȇUHDXGLWHG Audit Protection 4 ZHȇOOUHSUHVHQW\RXWKURXJK HYHU\VWHS www.fbc.ca 902.334.0117 COLDWATERCOLDWATER LOBSTERLOBSTER ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION www.coldwaterlobster.ca www.coldwaterlobster.ca Who We Are… Who We Are… Through our President and Board of Directors, we aim to be the organized collective voice for Through our President and Board of Directors, we aim to be the organized collective voice for all 985 lobster license holders in LFA 34 all 985 lobster license holders in LFA 34 Our Mission… Our Mission… The Coldwater Lobster Association through The Coldwater Lobster Association through 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 sustainable and prosperous lobster fishery in LFA 34 for current and future generations. The fishery 34 for current and future generations. The fishery and the world around us are constantly evolving and the world around us are constantly evolving and it is extremely important that fishermen be and it is extremely important that fishermen be both aware of the changes and in a position to both aware of the changes and in a position to influence changes that are impacting the industry. influence changes that are impacting the industry. What we do… What we do… Represent lobster licence holders in LFA 34 to Represent lobster licence holders in LFA 34 to address the ever increasing list of industry issues address the ever increasing list of industry issues for the betterment of its members and industry. for the betterment of its members and industry. Our activities focus on: Our activities focus on: Services to Members Services to Members Market and Business Development Market and Business Development Advocacy Advocacy Publication Information TableTable of Contents of Contents “King Lobster” magazine is a joint publication of the Coldwater Lobster CONTACT US: Association and CRE8 Marketing. We try to include all licensed lobster CONTACT US: fishermen in District 34. All rights reserved. Contents reproduced only Coldwater Lobster Association Coldwater Lobster Association with consent of Coldwater Lobster Association. Articles and informa- 1024 Lakeside Rd, tion in this magazine represent the opinions of the writers and the 1024 Lakeside Rd, information that, to the best of our knowledge was accurate at time of Milton Highlands, NS writing. Milton Highlands, NS B5A 5K1 Published November 2015 for the Coldwater Lobster Association: 1024 B5A 5K1 Lakeside Road, Milton Highlands, NS B5A 5K1; Ph: 902-142-6325 (902)742-6325 Published by: CRE8 Marketing Ltd; 1043 Hwy 335, Middle West (902)742-6325 Pubnico, NS B0W 2M0. Editor: Geoff Goodfellow; Design and Pro- [email protected] duction: Allison Churchill; Publisher: Walter Niekamp 902-762-0124, [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] KING LOBSTER Magazine 3 President’s Message Bernie Berry Dear members and supporters, Some might be surprised to learn the Coldwater Lob- ster Association is already approaching our first an- Welcome to the second issue of King Lobster maga- niversary. So much work has taken place already with zine. Building on the success of our first issue, we little time to stop and assess what’s been achieved. hope the magazine will continue to serve as a vehicle None the less, it’s important that we take just a mo- for lobster fishers in LFA 34 to find a common voice ment to let you know some of what we’ve been up to. and kick start discussion on issues of importance to our industry. We are interested in anything and every- Our Board of Directors recently held a discussion thing you might have to say or contribute. regarding DFO’s announcement in July concerning the Policy for Preserving the Independence of the Inshore Fleet in Canada’s Atlantic Fisheries (PIIFCAF). There are sections of concern to many of our mem- bers (mainly with the indicators which could trigger a license review and subsequent freeze on a vessel or license transfers). We have already held discus- sions on some of those issues with DFO regional staff in Dartmouth. On the broader issue of licences, we hope this issue of King Lobster will introduce a serious discussion around the succession of the industry and how licences will be transferred to the next genera- tion of fishermen in LFA 34. The steadily increasing average age of our licence holders signals a time of significant transition is on the horizon. Marine Hardware Netting Ropes Buoys Twines Clothing, Rain wear, Gloves and boots 4 KING LOBSTER Magazine ™ NOVABRAIDNOVABRAID™ TRAPCORDTRAPCORD Shock Cord designed for the extreme demands of our North Atlantic lobster fishery. FEATURES: • Premium round white latex • UV stabilized cover yarns • Full 1/4 and 5/16 diameters • Continuous length reels • Uniform stretch even in freezing conditions Make sure to tell your Manufactured by: trapbuilder Novatec Braids Ltd. you want 234 Water Street, NOVABRAID™ Yarmouth trapcord. Nova Scotia, Simply the best Canada B5A 4P8 there is. www.novabraid.com 1-800-565-4212 Super Sea Mesh Aquamesh N.S. Oldest Now Offering Trap Worm Resistant Builders Wood We will manufacture quality wire lobster traps to your specifi cations. We also carry kit specials and have pre-maid traps on hand for your convenience. 90 Days No Payment No Interest ask about our 6 month plan! Proud supporters of Digby Lobster Bash Hardscratch Road Yarmouth Phone: (902) 742-8807 Fax: (902) 742-4442 Debit & Most credit cards accepted 7072745 KING LOBSTER Magazine 5 The Coldwater Lobster Association also joined forces but we encourage anyone interested in learning more with Université Saint-Anne and the Fishermen Sci- to contact us. entists Research Society to successfully lobby the Provincial Fisheries Department to fund this season’s Lastly, we are extremely pleased with how many new Lobster Moult Study. We applaud the government for members have come aboard with the recognition of stepping up to fund this important research but we how important a united voice can be in protecting were disappointed to learn the study would receive and promoting our livelihoods. As I said in the last less and less money from the provincial department issue, we are here, first and foremost, to give our in the years to come. In the very near future we will members a loud voice that will be heard where and be forced to find other funding streams not only for when it matters most. There is an inherent danger in this study, but for scientific research in general. It’s an not coming together when we in LFA 34 collectively issue that is quickly becoming a major concern to our oversea the most valuable fishery in the country. To industry and one we’ve also started to look at in this that end there is still work to do, we need all of you in issue of King Lobster. Government resources LFA 34 to come to the table and help empower us to to adequately study, protect and guide the fishing of steer the ship in the right direction. I wish all of you a our vital lobster resource are vanishing at an prosperous and safe season to come. alarming rate. Sincerely, This summer the Coldwater Lobster Association came together with a number of other groups under the Bernie Berry, President. umbrella of the “Clean Oceans Action Committee” to protect the interests of the fishing industry in South West Nova and petition for faster response times in the event of an oil spill on Shell Canada’s Shelburne Basin drilling site. As the most valuable and largest Local Lobster now industry in the area, our collective signature on that petition sends a strong message to our provincial and MSC Certified federal governments. We will continue to monitor any The Bay of Fundy, Scotian Shelf and southern development of resources in our shared waters that Gulf of St. Lawrence lobster trap fishery recently carry the potential to impact our own. achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certi- fication. This means that lobsters caught in LFA 34 Our Board of Directors are also working on a Safety are now eligible to bear the blue MSC eco-label, Code of Practice for the lobster fishery in LFA 34. This which demonstrates they come from a well-man- plain language booklet will be designed to help fisher- aged, environmentally sustainable source. men understand their responsibilities under Provin- cial Occupational Health and Safety legislation. We Does that mean more money for your lobsters? It may, however the critical point is that more hope the project, due to be completed next March, customers are demanding that seafood come from will make life simpler for licence holders and promote sustainable fisheries so, it isn’t so much that the safety at the same time. certification will open new markets, but it will al- low us to keep lobster markets we are already in. It We also welcome the assistance of Ian Marshall (for- also helps ensure the long-term viability of the re- mer Area Manager with DFO) who has agreed to work source and it favorably positions the largest lobster for the Coldwater Lobster Association as a consultant. fishery in Canada (ours) in growing international Ian’s in depth knowledge of the fishery will be an as- markets.