TRURO, N.S. — TRURO, N.S.
Jordan MacDougall is a fortunate man.
His fortune comes every time he watches a golden sunrise over the Gulf of St. Lawrence on his fishing boat, happily bantering with his kids as they haul in lobster from the frigid waters.
“It’s a great life,” MacDougall said. “I enjoy the job. I’m glad it’s my career – 35 years.”
The Caper from Inverness South was in Truro Tuesday for the Ocean to Plate – Lobster Industry Research Forum, a chance to meet with industry and scientific experts to discuss everything from pricing to climate change, about three months before their fishing season starts.
Presently, MacDougall can earn $6 to $7 per pound of lobster sold. It is a vast improvement on the $3.25 he received just after the 2008 recession, but still lagging behind the $9 he could fetch if he hauled in catches on the South Shore.
“How much would you want to be paid for your salary?” MacDougall said. “It’s the same for lobster.”
However, lobster prices will likely stay high, thanks to growing demand from China, which imports live product from Nova Scotia during lobster season using cargo jets out of Stanfield Airport.
It is this demand that drives MacDougall to wake up at 4 a.m. and sail out to sea on his boat 45 minutes later. He’ll typically bring along any one of his four children – Amanda, Sabrina, Patrick, or Amber – as well as another helper, while on the boat.
The next eight hours at sea is a constant cycle of sailing to a bait site and hauling up and emptying the lobster traps, before moving on to the next one.
“I love that I get to spend time with my children and enjoy their company, when they work with me and for me,” said MacDougall.
Studies monitor trends affecting sea life
Another challenge – and opportunity – facing lobster fishermen today is climate change.
Warming seas are pushing lobster colonies up from the coasts of Massachusetts and Connecticut north to Atlantic Canada.
According to marine biologist Melanie Giffin, a record amount of new lobster are being born on the seabed off Prince Edward Island. Lobster larvae are collected in small cages and picked up by scientists.
“For now, we’re seeing their numbers increasing, but unfortunately there’s always the possibility of seeing what’s happening in the States occurring here,” said Giffin, who works for the PEI Fishermen’s Association Ltd.
She’s also noted an increase in numbers of other species, such as North Atlantic right whales and more Chub mackerel in the waters off P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.
Research is carried out with input from fishermen. Topics of interest include species migration, as well as if prey consumed by lobster and other marine species will be enough to sustain their populations. Giffin and other researchers from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans act and monitor trends affecting sea life.
“It’s really beneficial to have research coming from fishermen,” said Giffin.
However, fishermen are having trouble obtaining enough lobster bait, likely due to over-fishing.
P.E.I. fisherman Craig Avery said he uses mackerel, redfish and herring, which for him are increasingly hard to come by.
“The biomass of a lot of bait is down,” he said.
He said his home province has undertaken conservation measures, such as fitting escape-friendly meshes on cages that allow baby lobster to escape unharmed.
P.E.I. has also instituted a one-cent levy per pound of lobster caught, which goes toward marketing and advertising.
The Jan. 29 Ocean to Plate – Lobster Industry Research Forum brought together fishermen, industry experts, the federal government and researchers from 19 different universities and colleges throughout the Atlantic region, under the umbrella of Springboard Atlantic.
