Lobster fishermen in Prince Edward Island, Canada, say they’re concerned the federal government’s shutdown of mackerel and herring fisheries will have them scrambling to get bait in next year’s fishing season.
Last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada shut down commercial harvesting of herring in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Atlantic mackerel in Atlantic Canada and Quebec amid dwindling stocks. The two species are important sources of bait for the lobster industry. Some Island fishermen say they were caught off guard by the announcement as they prepare for setting day about a month from now.
“It’s tough on fishermen because … we need the bait to fish lobster,” said Mallory Harris, who fishes in North Lake. Other fishermen said they’re already seeing the price of bait for lobster traps increase.
Jeff MacNeill said he’s been getting calls from people in the industry asking where they could get frozen bait. He said he’s already heard of prices going up by as much as 50 cents per pound…