Lobster season on Nova Scotia's southwest coast delayed by bad weather

The lobster season on Nova Scotia's southwest coast has been delayed by one day due to high winds a rough seas.

The season was supposed to start Monday but has been put off until Tuesday morning at 6 a.m., said Graeme Gawn president of local 9 with the Maritime Fishermen's Union.

"It's always frustrating because everybody is ready to go and they want to go, but nobody wants to get hurt and nobody wants to see their crews get hurt."

Gawn said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans made the decision Sunday morning on a conference call.

The first day of the lobster season, referred to as dumping day, is when fishermen first set their lobster traps, it's considered one of the most dangerous days of the entire season.

Better weather means less risk

Some boats carry 375 traps or more, Gawnsaid.

"You got a boat load of gear on a moving boat. To put those traps on you're talking about maybe 20 miles of rope, it's all got to go out the stern of the boat without anybody going with it."

Most fishermen are more than happy to wait until the weather is more cooperative to head out on the water, said Gawn.

"This here we have six months right through the winter and fishermen fish quite a long distance off shore here so they want to have good weather for everybody to get their gear out safely."

The lobster fishing districts affected by the delay are LFA 33 and LFA 34. District LFA 33 runs from Halifax down to around Baccaro Point. LFA 34 extends from the western side of Baccaro Point to just below Digby.

The lobster season in both areas usually finishes up around May 31.