N.B. fishermen head out for spring lobster season

The Canadian Press
Monday, April 30, 2001

MONCTON, N.B. Hundreds of lobster fishing boats across northeastern New Brunswick set out early Sunday morning for the start of the annual spring lobster fishing season.

About 700 non-native and about 17 native fishermen are licensed to fish lobster commercially in area 23. The area takes in the coastline from the Pointe-Sapin and Escuminac area north to the Bay of Chaleur and Dalhousie and Campbellton sector in New Brunswick.

Fishermen in the Little Shippagan area have been coping with poor catches in the last few seasons and fear another bad year, while Miramichi Bay lobster fishermen wonder if there will be an abundance of lobster after out-of-season catches last year, said Maritime Fishermen's Union spokesman Mike Belliveau.

"They are crossing their fingers" hoping the lobster will be there, he said. { au: dt: sc:}