Lobster and Jonah crab will be rolling off the production line this spring at a new processing plant at Benson Lobster on Grand Manan, New Brunswick.
“We plan on opening this spring. We’re just putting on the finishing touches. We’re on track to be ready to go when the main seasons start up,” said company CEO Casey Benson.
Benson Lobster is building a lobster and crab processing plant that can package and freeze meat and products.
While Benson Lobster has been around the live side of the lobster industry for a long time, they are new into the processing side of things, said Benson.
“We’re excited for the expansion and to see what opportunities that brings our company, our team and here to the island,” said Benson.
The plant will be set up to process Jonah crab, frequently caught by lobster fishermen on Grand Manan as well as other areas.
“They are hard to find a home for sometimes so we’re going to try and develop a new market for that product. Lobster will still be the primary product we process but we bought the extra equipment to do the crab, to give us the opportunity,” said Benson.
Benson Lobster has four tank houses for their live lobster operation, with a total holding capacity for 650,000 to 700,000 pounds of live lobster.
“We source a lot locally. We have 20, 25 boats that sell direct to us. We buy from other dealers on the island who buy from their own boats. The island provides 55 to 60 per cent of the volume we handle in a year,” said Benson.
Lobster fishing is basically year-round on Grand Manan, between LFA 38 which has the longest running commercial season in Atlantic Canada (second Tuesday in November until June 29) and the Grey Zone, 277 square miles of ocean between Grand Manan and Maine claimed by both countries.
The Grey Zone opens after the main season closes and stays open until a week before LFA 38 opens in November, said Benson.
“We’re as year-round as we can be in the lobster industry. March and April are always slow. The tank houses are basically empty by then. There’s not much fishing. It’s winter. It’s slower those months but we try to keep busy as best we can. We’re pretty steady from May to March,” Benson said.
“There’s been a lot of change. Some things come and go. I’m fifth generation in the lobster industry. My grandfather started the company but his father and grandfather worked in the industry before that. We’ve gone through industry changes, up and down in certain areas but it seems like overall the catch is still strong. We’re sourcing locally. We feel confident in the industry and our capabilities here on the island to continuing to supply our customers around the world and creating new customers in the processing industry,” said Benson.
In addition to lobster, Benson also operates two salmon farms where smolts are grown out to market size and sold whole, and has a trucking company — Benmark Trucking started by his grandfather and father in 1991.
Benson said he currently employs about 55 people and expects to add another 35 to 40 once the processing plant opens.
