The 2024–2025 lobster season in Southwest Nova Scotia could be a return to form for Canada’s most lucrative lobster fishing grounds.
As the days grow shorter and the weather cools, lobster harvesters in Nova Scotia must bid farewell to the dog days of summer and point their attention towards the reopening of the winter fishery in lobster fishing areas (LFAs) 33 and 34.
Despite some of the challenges in the previous two years, from lower catch rates to higher input costs in bait and fuel, to bad run-ins with inclement weather systems; stable, if a bit low, shore prices seen in other LFAs may bring some relief in the face of stability.
Over in LFA 25, nestled between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, Luc LeBlanc of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union said the lobster market has been reliable and steady.
“Markets are really good right now,” said LeBlanc. “We’ve got $8.50 a pound in LFA 25, which is a pretty decent price.”
Where LFA 25 suffered, however, was catch rates. LeBlanc, calling the season “one we’d like to forget,” pointed out that catch rates have plummeted in the area, with landings down 30–40 per cent. The culprit here, as with many fisheries issues, is the looming spectre of climate change. As the oceans warm, many have speculated that lobster in Atlantic Canada have shifted their moult season later to accommodate the increasingly warm waters of the North Atlantic.
LFA 25’s misfortune, however, could mean a bountiful harvester for Southwest Nova Scotia. As the waters cool going into late fall, many of these later-moulting lobsters will now be active, increasing the chances that catch rates will rebound come November. Even if harvesters are faced with an $8.50 shore price, the glut of lobster coming their way could more than make up for the lacklustre prices. Catch rates also showed signs of picking up late in the summer seasons for LFAs 33 and 34, right as the season was coming to a close.
There are, however, some concerns in the U.S. and European markets, according to Geoff Irvine, Executive Director of the Lobster Council of Canada.
“A change in political leadership in the United States, our largest overall lobster customer, could bring with it import tariffs. Despite recent pushback from the Maine lobster sector, the upcoming U.S. gauge increase remains on schedule for January 1, which will change the size distribution for live and processed lobster and offer opportunities for some and challenges for many on the water and on the shore-side sector,” said Irvine. “Draft animal transport regulations in the European Union and stronger animal welfare rules in the U.K. could impact live lobster sales in Europe.”
2024 has also brought a bit of economic relief with it as the year marches on. By the end of 2023, harvesters were contending with nationwide average diesel prices of around $1.86 per litre. 2024, luckily, will see some relief for harvesters’ bottom lines, with the price of diesel consistently tracking lower than the year before, with the current nationwide average totalling $1.66 per litre. Likewise, inflation has also eased up on the average Canadian, with Reuters reporting Canada’s annual inflation cooling to a 40-month low of 2.5 per cent in July.
While much can happen between now and November, a combination of easing inflation, a stable market and a rebound in catch rates could see a prosperous fishery for Southwest Nova Scotia.
