Lobster levy will be ready for spring, says fishermen's group

The manager of the PEI Fishermen's Association says progress is being made to ensure anew lobster marketing levy is readyfor the upcoming spring season.

• Lobster levy regulations for buyers approved by P.E.I. cabinet
• P.E.I. lobster levy delayed for one year

The provincial legislation is in placefor a one cent-per-pound levy for both fishermen and buyers, and now details are being finalized on who should collect it, how it will be allocated, and who will sit on the marketing board.

Meetings have involved representatives from the fishermen's association, the PEI Seafood Processors Association, the province, and First Nations.

Ian MacPherson, executive director of the PEI Fishermen's Association, said they are getting close, but are not quite there yet.

"We are looking at finalizing the single point of collection and then the next step would be that the funds would possibly go to either a legal firm or an accounting firm just for accumulation." said MacPherson. "And then after that they would be divvied out to the individual organizations."

The money from the levy will be used for marketing. It's expected to be about $600,000 a year, to be split between the processing sector and the harvesting sector.

MacPherson says regardless of what happens in the other Maritime provinces, P.E.I. is focused onget the marketing going, and to take a leadership role.