It’s lobster season once again off Canada’s east coast province of Nova Scotia.
Delayed yesterday by bad weather hundreds of boats loaded with traps sped off just before dawn at 6:00 AM.
The race was to get to the best lobster grounds off southwestern Nova Scotia in areas 33 and 34.
CBC NEWS VIDEO Tuesday moring 29 Nov
The maritimes are divided into fishing zones and the season rotates among the zones
Each boat (licence) is allowed 375 traps (up to 400 for some licences), and if they can’t carry all 375, they have to rush back, get the rest and rush out again. The number of licences for each area is limited as well.
YouTube lobster fishery “This Fish” website
It can be dangerous on “dumping day” as the hundreds of traps are pushed quickly off the back of the moving boat as it rocks and pitches in the ocean swells and in doing so avoid getting caught in the ropes and pulled overboard. Last year a 53-year-old Cape Breton man drowned that way.
Each weighted trap weighs about 12-14 kilograms.
Once the traps are dumped, the boats will go out the next day and haul them up to remove any eligible lobsters, re-bait the traps and set the back in the water. The season will last until next spring.
Additional information- sources
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