Lobster industry catching up after lost week

Lobster fishermen and processors are struggling to make up for lost time after a price dispute had fishermen tie up their boats on P.E.I. for almost a week.

Some fishermen started bringing in lobster again on Monday, and the industry will be back in full swing Wednesday. Acadian Fishermen's Co-op CEO Jeff Malloy is pleased to see his plant operating again.

"It affects the bottom line certainly," said Malloy.

"It's a short period of time that a lot of plants have to work, and therefore when you take time out of that, it's a hard job to catch up, that's for sure."

Lobster fishermen are also counting up the losses. Some say they are out thousands of dollars after missing several days of fishing. Laid off workers were also missing their pay cheques. Some businesses in rural communities, such as restaurants, also felt the pinch during the tie up.

Malloy hopes processors and fishermen can move forward with the spring season. Fishermen say the dispute over lobster prices is far from over. As the protest ended the price had not moved. It was still about $3 a pound, fishermen say they need closer to $5 a pound to break even.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Summerside Tuesday, and weighed in on the issue.

"We obviously encourage the fishermen and the processors to work to find a solution to some of the market difficulties in this particular area," said Harper.

Malloy said individual processors set their prices with consideration for what they can get for their end product.

"Most of the companies are independent companies. They have a business to run like any other business, and certainly they have a right to try to make a living off of it as well," he said.

Malloy does not expect any further meetings over prices in the near future.