Overall, are you still getting as much lobster as you want?
Evidence of meeting #14 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fishermen.
Evidence of meeting #14 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was fishermen.
2:35 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Overall, are you still getting as much lobster as you want?
2:35 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
Yes, we've been somewhere between the 10 million and 13 million pounds in the last three to four years.
2:35 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
I'm from British Columbia, and I confess I'm not as familiar with the lobster industry as I might be. How is the price set? How does it finally get set for the guy who pulls up with his boat with lobsters? Who makes that decision? What process is used?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
Each individual processor would have to make the call as to what he thinks the lobster is going to be able to sell for in the marketplace.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
So somebody like you makes that decision individually. You're in competition, though, with other buyers or processors who could also buy that individual's lobsters, I assume.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Is there a healthy competition in Prince Edward Island, for example, in terms of the lobsters available, to keep the price relatively high or competitive?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
In my opinion, yes, that would be true. If you look at one of the regulations that was implemented last year.... P.E.I. always had a 30-day window; you couldn't buy on the wharf unless you had put an application in 30 days prior. I think the provincial government changed that last year to three days, and we didn't get anybody new on the wharf to buy last year.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
In different areas we have different competitors. We buy in many different areas, so there are many different competitors. We probably have competition from everybody.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
So there's nobody like you who buys in all the same areas?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
Well, Clearwater would not go as much into a P.E.I. buy for canner lobsters.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
My final question is this. We're here to understand the issue, the challenges—the crisis, as some have said—but also to be able to make some recommendations to the minister on what might help the situation. Do you have any advice for us on the actions the government should take in the current situation?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
From the point of view of what advice I could give, I think you have to look at it in two different contexts. There is the short term, May 1, which is right around the corner. Something needs to be done before that date for fishers to be able to make a living, I believe.
We want to highlight the fact that something needs to be done in the short term. I'm sure Mr. Bonnell mentioned that earlier this morning.
We also think that we cannot lose sight of the long-term systemic issues. We need to make the lobster business a viable industry, an industry that during the next down cycle is able to handle that bump and let us be viable enough to stay in it for the long term.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Kamp Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission, BC
Thank you very much.
I'll hand it over to any of my colleagues, if they have questions.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
I'd like a little clarification. You said the percentage of lobster that goes into canning is what?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
There's a canner lobster, which means that it weighs less than one pound.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
Yes, but what percentage of the lobster that comes to the island, to shore, did you say was canner?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
Different areas would have different ratios, but I would suggest it's pretty close to 60-40, for sure—maybe higher than that, maybe 70-30.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
In your estimation, is that different in P.E.I. from other jurisdictions?
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
Yes, it's especially different in Nova Scotia, where the carapace size is bigger.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
So dependence on the processing relationship is greater in P.E.I.
2:40 p.m.
Operation Manager, Ocean Choice PEI Inc.
Yes, we land more canner-sized lobsters than any other province. Probably New Brunswick has some canners.
2:40 p.m.
Conservative
Greg Kerr Conservative West Nova, NS
You say you buy from 300 island fishermen and buy from other jurisdictions as well. What's the number from other jurisdictions, compared with the 300?
