Mr. Speaker, 2009 has been designated as the Year of the Lobster by the Municipality of the District of Barrington, a coastal community in my riding of South Shore—St. Margaret's. The Municipality of the District of Barrington is the lobster capital of Canada. The Atlantic waters surrounding this area are some of the best lobster fishing grounds Canada has to offer, and the lobster industry is the second most lucrative industry in the province of Nova Scotia, worth nearly $500 million and employing thousands of fishers and plant workers.
Lobster is Canada's most valuable seafood export, and hard-shell lobster from southwest Nova Scotia rates the highest export value. However, the economic downturn has seriously affected the municipality's lobster industry. The low prices currently being paid for lobster mean many fishers can barely make ends meet.
I call on all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing 2009 as the Year of the Lobster and, in honour of this designation, I encourage all Canadians to help support the lobster industry by buying Nova Scotia lobsters.