New Brunswick fishermen staged a protest outside the Canadian federal fisheries minister’s office Wednesday in their ongoing dispute over the import of lobsters from Maine, while a U.S. senator from Maine called for beefed up enforcement in the province to ensure the smooth flow of goods across the border.
The fishermen rallied outside the Fredericton office of Keith Ashfield, saying they are upset that low-priced lobsters from Maine are being processed in the province, thereby driving down prices for their own products.
“They can’t take it anymore,” said Christian Brun, a spokesman for the Maritime Fishermen’s Union. “They’re going to go bankrupt and everybody’s on the edge.”
Lobster processors in New Brunswick agreed Friday to pay a minimum of $2.50 per pound for processed lobster and $3 per pound for live market lobster. But Brun said New Brunswick fishermen need $4 per pound for both fresh and processed lobster just to break even.
The union had hoped compensation from the New Brunswick government would make up for the difference. But provincial Fisheries Minister Michael Olscamp flatly refused that request.
“We’re not in the game of bridging gaps in salaries where people are paid for product,” he said. “It would set a very dangerous precedent.”
Brun said that decision has thrown a “monkey wrench” into ongoing negotiations between the government and the union.
Instead, the province has offered to grant fishermen who have taken part in an $11 million loan program an extra year to pay back the money. The union has refused, Brun said.
“Ideas have been thrown around, but nothing has yet appeared that would be of interest for our members,” he said.
Brun said in the meantime, there are plans to soon meet with Ashfield in an effort to resolve the dispute.
In an email, Ashfield’s office said he has been involved in ongoing discussions with the fishermen, adding that he believes “an industry-led solution will be the best way forward.”
The flare-up over lobster prices came to a head last week, when fishermen held demonstrations in Cap-Pele and Shediac, New Brunswick, and trucks were prevented from delivering Maine lobsters to three processors. The demonstrations spilled over into Prince Edward Island, where at least two lobster processors agreed to stop processing Maine product.
Olscamp said all New Brunswick lobster processing companies had shut down processing operations on Wednesday.
U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine also weighed into the fracas Wednesday, calling on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to investigate the lobster dispute.
2012 Bloomberg L.P.