Guysborough County Inshore Fishermens Association

08/09/2026

08/06/2026

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08/05/2026

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08/05/2026

Scientists at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans are reviewing potential scenarios if lobster stocks change in the waters off Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick, including the effects of reducing season lengths and trap limits, altering size limits, and other measures.

Adam Cook, DFO scientist and the co-lead of a new report, said some of the management measures for lobster “have been in place for quite a long time.” The study aims to update the science behind them, taking into consideration changing water temperatures.

“Lobster fisheries are still considered healthy in Canadian waters. We still are well above long-term averages for the majority of our stock status indicators,” he said.

“So we're trying to provide information so people can be thinking about and be prepared for if and when changes occur.”

The department said in a statement it is not changing any management measures based on the study alone. Instead, the findings will allow for “potential adjustments to measures, should they be sought after by industry, or required due to stock status.”

Cook added there is no one-size-fits-all approach for lobster fishing areas 27 to 38, which run from northern Cape Breton down the Atlantic coast to the Bay of Fundy and were the focus of the review. A combination of measures is typically required to conserve the species, he said.

The study used modelling and simulations to see the impact of different management measures. It notes that season length is one of the most effective controls, as it "reliably reduces exploitation, injury, and incidental mortality.”

“A fishery that starts in March or April and goes to June or July, that's quite a short window," said Cook. "So if you're thinking about shifting that fishery, you may want to think about shifting away from the summer months. The summer months are typically when they're moulting, typically when they're mating.”

Lobsters are highly reactive to water temperature. When the ocean is cold, lobsters are less active, which affects their catch rate and growth. Temperature also affects their moulting.

The study also said that small reductions to trap limits "are unlikely to have a meaningful impact."

"For trap reductions to significantly affect exploitation, they must be substantial to overcome these dynamics — though such changes would also carry important economic and operational implications," the report said.

"The effectiveness of trap limits depends on their scale and must be considered alongside harvester behaviour and local fishery conditions."

Long-term measures were also considered, like v-notching, a procedure where fishermen mark an egg-bearing female lobster by removing a small part of its tail before releasing it back in the ocean. That makes it so that other fishermen can tell which lobsters not to harvest.

"Strategically chosen maximum size limits and v-notching programs are slow-acting measures that protect large, highly fecund females," said the report.

Bernie Berry, senior fisheries adviser with Coldwater Lobster Association in Yarmouth, N.S., was one of the observers of the study.

He said the industry relies on the information produced by DFO to make informed decisions and to prepare for potential changes in the water and the management of the fisheries.

“I think it's the over time, more knowledge helps to critique and gives you more information on the effects of a particular harvest-control rule that was introduced into a fishery,” said Berry.

08/04/2026

Recommendations for regulatory changes in the Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 34 commercial fishery are being met with stiff opposition from harvesters.

More than 200 lobster fishermen from the municipalities of Barrington and Argyle and the Town of Clark’s Harbour attended an emergency meeting in Clark’s Harbour on July 29.

The meeting was called by several port representatives on Cape Sable Island to discuss recommendations from what some called a ‘secret committee’ that held private meetings and was financially supported by the government. Those recommendations have been forwarded to Fisheries and Oceans Canada Minister Joanne Thompson.

“Nothing about these meetings have been up front,” said Marty Atwood, one of the Cape Sable Island port representatives who serves on the LFA 34 advisory committee.

A text message from GA (Jerry) Amirault shared on social media outlined an ‘Overview of the LFA 34 Sustainability Project’ that summarized ‘LFA 34 harvester recommendations for financial sustainability and stock recruitment effective 2026-2027 season.’

“A lot of meetings and discussion have taken place since our steering group first met in the late spring of 2025,” wrote Amirault. “All of the findings from private conversations to fishermen meetings, as well as DFO discussion, are now in the hands of the minister in Ottawa. Several letters of support have been included that support the (seriousness) of the industry and urgency that actions must take place.”

WHAT’S BEEN RECOMMENDED

According to the shared summary, five recommendations are being made.

• Management Targets and Enforcement Enhancements: Establish a Target Reference Point. A combined financial and biological target reference point should be developed by fall 2026 with implementation ahead of the 2027 season. Once the TRP is reached, predetermined management measures such as a Harvest Control Rule would automatically take effect. This framework would provide clarity, predictability and a structured link between conservation objectives and economic sustainability.

• Strengthen Enforcement and Deterrence Measures: A significantly more robust enforcement strategy is required to address illegal harvesting during both the commercial season and unregulated out-of-season activity. Penalties must be increased to include substantial fines and license suspensions up to, and including, cancellation. Illegal removals place undue pressure on the stock and risk noncompliance with international IUU standards and MSC certification requirements. Improved tag tracking systems and increased inspections at both season opening and closing are essential.

• Regulation changes for the 2026-27 season: The season should open on Dec. 1 annually, without exceptions, no flexibility. The fixed date is a slightly later start that better aligns with market demand and may support stronger shore prices due to limited pre-holiday buying days. Results from the Lobster Quality Preseason Sampling Program must be reviewed with industry representatives in early November to assess stock condition and market implications for the upcoming season. (Note: As it currently, the season opens the last Monday of November, weather permitting.)

• Mandatory Escape Vent Upgrades: All lobster pots should include a minimum of three escape vents, with one located in the door. Vents must be oversized to 1 7/8 inches phased in as follows: Fall 2026, at least one vent at 1 7/8 inches; start of 2027 season all three vents including the door vent at 1 7/8 inches. This measure reduces handling stress and cull rates by allowing sublegal lobsters to remain on bottom. Additionally, one side escape panel should incorporate a significantly larger opening when the vent is absent enabling large lobster to escape lost gear. This panel must be attached externally to prevent internal blockage if it detaches.

• Eliminate Spring Tag allotments: Spring tag allotments should be discontinued maintaining a consistent 375 pot limit throughout the season in LFA 34. While not a major effort reduction measure, this change establishes a foundation for future discussions. A portion of harvesters have not used spring tags in recent years. These tags should be permanently retired rather than redistributed

WHY THE MEETING?

Marty Atwood and fellow port representative Sheldon O’Connell said they called the emergency meeting in Clark’s Harbour to gather opinion from fellow fishers about what has been recommended and to discuss next steps.

Atwood said the recommendations were “all shot down at any meetings I was to, at the advisory committee meetings, and somehow they still found their way to the desk of the Minister of Fisheries in Ottawa. If we don’t start fighting back for the only fishery we got, we’re probably going to lose it.”

Numerous concerns were expressed at the meeting about the fact that only LFA 34 (which includes all of Yarmouth County and large parts of Shelburne and Digby counties) is being considered for regulatory changes, while neighbouring LFAs 33, 35 and 41 are not.

“We can’t fix everything sitting in the middle,” said one fisherman.

The continued illegal summer lobster fishery in LFA 34 and a lack of enforcement was another major concern expressed.

WHAT DFO SAYS

A petition was started at the emergency meeting for licence holders to sign that stated, in part, that “we as individuals, and collectively, are not opposed to conservation measures for the benefit of the stock and all involved. However, we feel more study, consultation and discussion are needed before we rush through changes that will dramatically negatively alter the landscape in District 34 for future generations.”

According to DFO, in 2025 Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided support for a group of harvesters in LFA 34 to undertake a project and provide a report to the department on what harvesters felt would make the fishery more sustainable for the future.

“The group provided a report and continued to engage harvesters throughout LFA 34 to build recommendations,” said Debbie Buott-Matheson, manager of strategic communications for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region.

“Those recommendations were brought to the LFA 34 Advisory Committee at two meetings in June 2026 and were discussed among the members. The recommendations included a change to the start of the fishing season, larger escape vents in lobster traps, and a change to the trap limit for each harvester,” said Buott-Matheson.

“There was good discussion of the recommendations at both meetings. However, more conversation and focused consultation are required to determine next steps,” she said.

“The Southwest Nova Scotia Area Office will continue working with the advisory committee and will help to facilitate future discussions with LFA 34 fishers,” Buott-Matheson said, adding, “No management changes have been made as a result of the groups proposals at this time.”

Dan Fleck, executive director of the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association, points out that, “DFO takes its recommendations from the LFA advisory process that we have, and the LFA 34 advisory committee has not made any recommendations to DFO, so no changes or amendments to the management plan would be made this year.”

Fleck noted that lobster landings in LFA 34 have declined about 50 per cent in the last 10 years.

“A lot of people do identify something needs to be done,” he said. “Exactly what needs to be done or what’s next… something needs to occur to get this stabilized. Is it all mother nature? Is it global warning? Is it the water temperatures? Is it over exploitation?”

There are 978 licence holders in LFA 34. According to preliminary statistics from DFO, during the 2024-2025 commercial lobster season in LFA 34, 14,742 MT of lobster were caught, with a landed value of $349 million.

08/04/2026

07/28/2026

Community Notice: Lazy Head Aggregate Project

Sharing on behalf of the developer:
Carver Companies and Morien Resources will be conducting offshore geotechnical work in Chedabucto Bay, just offshore of the Lazy Head project site.

Local residents, fishers, and boaters are encouraged to review the attached community notice for details on the upcoming work, including timing, location, and planned activities.