Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister backtracks on 5 cent lobster levy, now says its a pilot project
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Canadian Press] By Keith Doucette July 29, 2014
Complaints from fisheries groups that they were not consulted about a lobster marketing levy left Nova Scotia's Fisheries Minister scrambling on Monday to clarify remarks he made about the proposal last week.
Organizations representing fishermen and processors expressed surprise to hear the government was preparing legislation to be introduced in the fall that would allow it to collect a five-cent-per-pound levy on lobster – three cents more than recommended in a report released last November.
A three-member panel that reviewed the lobster industry proposed a two-cent levy to boost marketing efforts, one cent from fishermen and the other from buyers and processors. It was estimated about $2.5-million a year could be collected through the fee to help an industry hit by slumping prices in recent years...
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