Former lobster fisherman and broker James Mood and a group of friends and associates have done the near impossible in less than three weeks - they have convinced hundreds of lobster fishermen in Southwest Nova that collective action is the only way they are going to be able to protect thier interests and generate a wharf price for lobster greater that the money-losing current rate of under $4.00 per pound.
The 1688 Professional Lobster Fishermen Association has held meetings to date in Barrington, Shelburne, Yarmouth and West Pubnico, attended by more than 1,000 fishermen. meetings are scheduled this week in Digby Neck (Tuesday, Jan 24 at 2:30pm at the Sandy Cove Fire Hall) and in Chester (Wednesday, Jan 25 at 1:30pm at the Chester Legion.)
Mood says that DFO and the government don't like what he is doing, but that fishermen need to take control of their lives. Nova Scotia Fisheries minister and former lobster fisherman Sterling Belliveau has expressed his concern about the prospect that Mood's members would tie up their boats and not land lobsters if they were not assured a price of at least $5.50 per pound. Belliveau told CJLS and CBC and CJLS Radio that there was "a lot of things going on behind the scenes" and "a lot of discussions that still need to take place" that Mood may not be aware of and that a shut down would affect many others besides fishermen."
Mood says the idea of collective action by fishermen has been met with almost universal approval by the boat skippers and crew members attending the meetings.
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A group of men, ( boats ) could form a co-op. Ten Twenty Thirty or more boats could form this co-op, They could become their own buyer. They could buy buildings for their business. They could hire people to run this company. They could hire a "Salesman" to go out in the world and sell their lobsters. At the end of a year the members of the co-op would share the profits.
It is not easy to sell lobsters.
Yes, and with modern communications its ever easier to access that world market!The American economy is much worse than we like to believe so we have to look further each year.Less government envolvement and more private initiative will go a long way. Never the less at the end of the day the market will drive the prices!