Lobster fishers permitted to return to deeper water

MALPEQUE, P.E.I. – Lobster fishing areas that closed for North Atlantic right whales last month have reopened.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans said lobster fishing area grids 23 and 25 in western P.E.I. reopened on June 1, and grid 24 opened earlier than expected on June 2.

The federal government allowed lobster fishers on the north side of the Island to cast their nets at 5 a.m. instead of the planned 5 p.m. due to impending bad weather.

Chris Wall, a lobster fisherman from Malpeque, was out on the rough waters on Friday morning.

Wall said lobster fishers were taking their gear to deeper depths, away from the more congested shallow fishing spots.

“A lot of people moved away from the good fishing spots, which might have an impact on some people’s profits,” he said.

When asked how much fishers lost due to the move, he said they won’t know until the end of the year.

The move to shallower fishing spots came after a pod of North Atlantic right whales were seen in grid 24.