Rock crab catches down at start of season

The rock crab season opened last week on P.E.I. and fishermen are saying their catches are down substantially.

Myles MacDonald, chair of the P.E.I. Rock Crab Advisory Committee, has been fishing rock crab out of Wood Islands for more than 30 years. He said his catches are off between 25 and 40 per cent from previous years.

"It's tougher than usual," he said.

MacDonald plans to take a break after this week and see if the fishing improves later.

"We're just hoping perhaps when we go back at it later that there will be some then. If not there's not it might be a concern that it's getting overfished or the lobster still could be coming off the shore."

He believes it could be a high number of lobster in the area chasing the crab away.

The rock crab season closes in late November but fishermen usually catch their quota in a matter of weeks.

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With files from Island Morning