GRAND BANK, N.L. — There’s no doubt that lobster fishers in Fortune Bay are once again enjoying a good season.
Catch rates have been good and this year more fishers have also been pursuing cod and taking advantage of the 200 pound daily by-catch of halibut that their licenses allow.
This year the price paid by buyers for lobster during the first week of the season, which opened in the area on April 21, was set at $8.11 per pound. It gradually dropped as the season progressed and last week was down to $5.29 per pound. However, when it is all tallied up, the price paid for the entire lobster season should still average out to around $6 per pound.
Most of the lobsters are caught during the first few weeks of the season, so this year when May 15 arrived and the inshore fixed gear vessels less than 65 feet were permitted to land cod along with a halibut by-catch, some of the lobster fishers switched gears, spending part of the day or alternate days fishing for cod and halibut.
It has proved to be very rewarding with halibut fetching around $6 per pound and top-quality cod at 80 cents per pound.
Many of the halibut being landed locally range in weight from 50 pounds and up with several tipping the scales in excess of 200 pounds.
Some veteran lobster fishers who have been taking part in the local inshore fishery for several decades say they have never seen halibut as plentiful as they have been in this area the past couple of years.
The current Atlantic halibut quota in 3PS (along the south coast) for the Newfoundland inshore fixed gear fleet is set at 97 tons.
According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, there may be an additional quota available later in the season once a review of landings versus available quota in 3PS and 3NO is completed.
To this end, there is an Atlantic halibut long-line survey being carried out throughout the Atlantic halibut stock area. This will include survey stations along the south coast including the Fortune Bay area, involving some of the local lobster fishers.
Apparently the Fortune Bay lobster area is now divided into Fortune Bay East and Fortune Bay West. This year’s season for Fortune Bay East will close on June 23, while the Fortune Bay West area, which opened a week later on April 28, will close on June 30.
Meanwhile, the Placentia Bay lobster fishery, which didn’t get underway until May 1, will close on July 10.
