'Perfect day' for fall lobster season launch

The weather Thursday was 'just the way we wanted it' as fishermen left harbours to set traps on the first day of P.E.I.'s fall lobster season.

About 215 fishermen on the western end of the Northumberland Strait, known as LFA 25, were on the water early.

"The perfect day for setting," said Lee Knox, president of the Prince County Fishermen's Association.

"It's just the way we wanted it. It's warm but it's overcast, no sun out, and wind is calm."

Environment Canada's marine forecast includes a wind warning for the Northumberland Strait later on Thursday.

In some good news for fishermen, a small fishing area off the northwest tip of P.E.I. re-opened Wednesday evening.

It was closed in mid-July to protect two North Atlantic right whales that were spotted there. Knox said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans ran two flights over the area in the last week to confirm there were no whales in the area.

Larger lobsters

Fishermen in LFA25 are required to respect a larger minimum size for lobster this year.

The minimum carapace size is 77 millimetres. The change is driven by fishermen from New Brunswick, said Knox, who have markets that prefer the larger lobster.

The change will likely increase lobster stocks, he said, but added that the stocks were in good shape before the change.

The increase has been costly, he said, because fishermen are forced to throw more lobster back.

"Last year some fishers were down 10 per cent," he said.

"It's a big deal. It's all profits. You've got all your set expenses so whatever you're losing it's all profit."

P.E.I. fishermen in the adjacent LFA24, who fish in the spring, work with a minimum carapace size of 73 millimetres. Knox said his members would like to see all P.E.I. fishermen using the same minimum carapace size.

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