Key Nova Scotia Lobster Fishing Areas to Open Tuesday After Delayed Start

Dumping Day for lobster fishing areas (LFA) 33 and 34 will begin on November 26. The staple Nova Scotia fishery was delayed due to heavy winds.

The start of commercial fishing for LFA 34, the larger of the two areas, will begin at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, while LFA 33 will begin at 7 a.m., per local media reports. Lobster Fishing Area 33 stretches from Cow Bay in Halifax Regional Municipality to Shelburne County; Lobster Fishing Area 34 covers Shelburne County to Digby County...

Nova Scotia Fishing Group Seeks $10 Million in Damages Over Illegal Lobster Trade

A Nova Scotia commercial lobster fishing group has taken legal action against Independent Fisheries Limited for allegedly buying illegally caught lobsters in St. Mary’s Bay.

The United Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFCA) filed a Notice of Action with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia against the firm and its owner, Xiaoming Mao, along with Jason Lamrock, Tyler Nickerson, Sandra Nickerson, Shawna Nickerson, David Nickerson, and Wesley Nickerson, according to a UFCA press release.

The UFCA, which represents lobster fishing organizations throughout the province...

Nova Scotia Celebrates First Season Opening Of Commercial Whelk Fishery Off Eastern Cape Breton

The whelk fishery in Nova Scotia is officially open. Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard Minister Diane Lebouthiller, met with harvesters on Tuesday to celebrate the first season opening of the commercial whelk fishery. 

The fishery is taking place in the waters off Eastern Cape Breton. In the past, the only whelk fishery that was allowed took place in NAFO Area 4V. And even then, it was only exploratory harvesting to determine if the stock could sustain a...

Dead North Atlantic Right Whale Spotted Off Southwestern Nova Scotia

The Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) confirmed on Wednesday that another endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) has died this year. An aerial surveillance plane operated by Transport Canada documented the partial remains of the whale carcass along the shelf break off Southwestern Nova Scotia. 

While only the lower half of the whale is documented, MARS was able to determine that the remains were from an endangered NARW. However, the cause of death is not as clear. MARS noted that because of the advanced state of decomposition and the...

Ocean Choice Has Sold Its Offshore Nova Scotia Scallop Quota To These 3 Companies

Ocean Choice International announced on Thursday that the company has not only decided to sell off its offshore scallop quotas, but has already found buyers and completed the purchase and sale agreement with three Nova Scotia companies who have “a long history harvesting sea scallops off the coast.”

Ocean Choice held 16.77% of the offshore scallop quota in Nova Scotia. The quota is worth an estimated $200 million. And now these three Nova Scotia-based companies have acquired it: Mersey Seafoods Limited, LaHave Seafoods Limited, and Comeau’s Sea Foods Limited. 

DFO Seizes $100K Worth of Lobsters in Nova Scotia

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced on October 2 that it seized over 13,000 pounds of lobster worth over CA$100,000 (US$74,000) and made an arrest for crimes under the Fisheries Act, including maintaining an illegal lobster pound.

According to a DFO Facebook post, fisheries officers executed a search warrant at a Shelburne County, Nova Scotia facility. The warrant resulted in the seizure of the lobster, documents and electronic records, along with the arrest.

The DFO said the matter is under investigation for potential charges under Canada’s...

Nova Scotia’s Ocean Pride Ordered To Pay Migrant Workers After 2021 Termination

A complaint stemming from 2021 has finally been resolved. On June 24 the Nova Scotia Labour Board ordered Ocean Pride Fisheries Ltd. to pay migrant workers for their wages, missed hours and other pay following a dispute over whether the workers “quit” or were “terminated.” 

The case, which involves eight temporary foreign workers from Mexico who were seasonally employed by Ocean Pride, was officially brought to the Nova Scotia Labour Board in November 2023. The workers say that they attempted to talk to their English-only...

High Liner CEO Optimistic About 2024 After Releasing Q4 2023 Results 

Frozen seafood company High Liner Foods has released its fourth quarter results for 2023. Sales for the Nova Scotia-based company ended at $250.3 million — a $13.2 million drop from Q4 2022. 

Reported net income in the fourth quarter of 2023 decreased by $4.7 million compared to the same period in 2022. The company says the drop was due to a decrease in Adjusted EBITDA and an increase in depreciation and amortization costs. 

Gross profit was also down in the fourth quarter — decreasing by...

DFO Issues Heavy Fines, Suspends Licenses After Major Investigation Into Nova Scotia Halibut Fishery

An investigation into the Nova Scotia halibut fishery by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has resulted in a number of fines and suspended licenses.

According to the DFO, the investigation into the halibut fishery in the Sambro area of Nova Scotia resulted in four trials. Five individuals and three companies were convicted of 18 violations of the Fisheries Act and Regulations. The last sentence was handed out earlier this week on February 6.

Collectively the five individuals and three companies were fined more than $260,000...