Lobster season extended for P.E.I.'s North Shore

The lobster fishing season on P.E.I.'s North Shore is being extended for four days after a late start to fishing activity because of inclement weather.

About 960fishermen harvest lobster in P.E.I.'s spring season. The spring season is in lobster fishing areas 24 and 26A, which runfrom North Cape, along the North Shore and into the Northumberland Strait to Victoria.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said in a notice to harvesters that the fishery on the North Shore, from Tignish to East Point, will be extended toJuly 3. About 600 fishermen hold licences in this area.

No decision has been made about extending the season in the fishing area in southeastern P.E.I., from East Point to Point Prim, lobster fishing area 26A.The notice to harvesters said DFO "will evaluate requests for a season extension later in the season." Currently the season there is still scheduled to closeJune 29.

The P.E.I. Fishermen's Association will be asking for the extension for the entire Island.

"They would like to have the extra days at the end, the same as anybody else, they don't want to lose any time from their weeks either," said Bobby Jenkins, president of the association.

"We felt that it was important to get the 62-day season. There are other parts of the southern Gulf that have it so we would like to have it too.So we will work through it as we go along."

The fishing area from Point Prim to Victoria traditionally opens and closes a week later than the rest of P.E.I.It opened Monday and is scheduled to close July 6.

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