PORTLAND, Maine -
The
two-month lobster season for lobstermen in New Brunswick began on
Monday, just days after reaching a deal with Canadian processors over
the use of low-priced lobster from Maine.
More than
half of the Maine lobster harvest is shipped to Canada for processing,
but lobstermen there were upset with the record low prices in Maine and
at one point were blocking shipments to processors.
Canadian lobstermen and the processors reached a deal to allow shipments from Maine to resume.
However, Maine's Marine Resources Commissioner said there continues to be an oversupply of lobster.
The Maine lobster industry has launched a new advertisement encouraging Mainers to take advantage and buy lobster.
"We
typically don't see ads especially this time of year because of all the
tourists and everybody around. This is a lobster culture in the summer
here," said Dane Somers with the Lobster Promotion Council.
Despite
the fact that lobster shipments are making their way to Canada, the
owners of Bayley's Lobster Pound in Scarborough said the rock bottom
prices should last through Christmas.
"For
the short term, right now, nothing is going to change," said Vinny
Clough with Bayley's. "There is enough catch and we've already peaked
with our tourist season, and now numbers will start declining," he said.
The Lobster Promotion Council hopes its new ad will ultimately make a dent in the glut on the market.
The fishermen need our support, it's just a very difficult situation," said Somers.
Bayley's said a one pound soft-shell lobster is selling for $3.75 a pound, compared to $7.99 for a hard shell.
