Delay in lobster season leads to some close calls

Grand Manan lobster fishermen finally set traps on Thursday, November 15, after a delay caused by gale force winds earlier in the week, but the day was not without its hazards, as four fishermen fell overboard and one boat with a crew of seven nearly sank in the strong winds.
Looking at the forecast for the scheduled opening of the lobster season, Tuesday, November 13, Fundy North (FNFA) and Grand Manan (GMFA) fishermen's associations petitioned the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to allow them to start a day early on November 12. This request was rejected. According to FNFA, "Reasons cited were that there is no protocol that exists for such a change to take place, and there were concerns from DFO that C&P [Conservation and Protection] and search and rescue etc. would not have adequate time to prepare the staff needed to open Monday."
A conference call held Monday morning resulted in the decision to wait until Thursday. Environment Canada predicted winds below 25 knots between midnight and about 11 a.m. Tuesday, but fishermen felt this was too short a window. Another conference call Wednesday afternoon set the opening time for 10 a.m. Thursday for Grand Manan. A stiff breeze was still whistling through the stacked lobster traps on the wharves with the temperature hovering around freezing as the boats departed.
GMFA Lobster Sector Chair Laurence Cook was angry and frustrated with the delay. He says the request for an early opening was made four working days ahead, but he believes the fishery officers' union requires 30 days' notice for schedule changes, and he also calls "ridiculous" the Joint Rescue Centre's response that they couldn't schedule vessels and officers to be in the area a day early. He argues that the rescue boats "are staffed 24‑7" in case of emergency and "can be called in an instant."
"People were quite upset" with the delay, he says. In hindsight, there might have been enough time Tuesday before the weather worsened, but they went by the forecast. Thursday was "really really rough, not particularly safe, not particularly intelligent, but we couldn't change it."

Four men overboard and boat nearly sinks
While the wind was supposed to have improved Thursday morning, Cook says it was still blowing about 35 knots and just starting to drop when the boats left the wharves. There were some close calls. Four men went overboard. Three were quickly recovered by their own boats, and one at the wharf in North Head was able to swim to safety. About 18 miles south of Grand Manan in an area known as "The Prong," one boat flooded and looked for a while like it would sink with its crew of seven. Cook says other boats came alongside to break the sea, they got pumps going and threw a lot of traps and anchors overboard to lighten the load, and the boat was able to come in under its own power and then finish setting traps. "They worked hard for a long time" to save the boat, Cook says. "The Westport cutter was there," he adds. "The Coast Guard did a great job. I'll criticize them when they've earned it and I'll praise them when they've earned it."
GMFA staff were unavailable for comment, but a statement posted online on November 8 reads, "We were angry and disappointed that Fisheries and Oceans Canada decided not to assist fishermen in their efforts to promote a safe opening for their lobster fishery next week. The Transportation Safety Board has identified DFO as an obstacle to fishermen safety. They certainly proved that today."
New Brunswick Southwest MP Karen Ludwig responded, "I supported the proposal from FNFA and GMFA and took it to the minister's office earlier this week to give fishermen the opportunity to begin their fishery on the best weather day. I'm disappointed that the department couldn't find a way to implement this proposal for the good of lobster fishermen in southwest NB."

Problems caused by LFA 37
Cook says one of the biggest obstacles is Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 37, a shared fishing area between areas 38 -- Grand Manan -- and 36, Fundy North. The area is a narrow trapezoid between Grand Manan and the Wolves, extending out to the shipping lane. Cook says DFO created the area because fishermen from both areas were going over the line. Now it's "a bone of contention" because getting there in different conditions is more hazardous for some than for others, and if fishermen from one area go, then those from the other feel pressure to follow. For example, a boat travelling from Campobello could be safer with the wind on its stern, while one from Grand Manan might have a broadside wind.
"Competition for the area is causing bad decisions on both sides," Cook says. "It's not intelligent, and it's not good management." He wants to see the area cut in half between LFAs 36 and 38, but lengthy discussions have not brought a solution. "Nobody wants to give up anything," he says, and he fears tragedy will result from continued bad decisions. "It's DFO's monster; they should clean it up."
A number of boats went back out to haul late Thursday or very early Friday before the bad weather set in again. Saturday at last brought fair weather, and Cook points out that "a marginal day for setting is no problem for hauling."
He says, "There are two stories here. One is a testament to how stupid industry and the [fisheries] department can be; the other is how well the men did" to recover the overboard crew and avert the sinking. But he adds, "I'm very tired of depending on good luck to get everyone home."