Milder December weather is helping to keep lobster fishermen busy.
They’re hauling in big catches thanks to warmer water.
Michael Cotter, president of Cotters Ocean Products in Lockeport said he hasn’t seen anything quite like it in 35 years.
“Water temperature here this year has been 45 to 46 degrees in the first week and a half of the seaon, which has kept the lobsters in closer.
Cotter said he doesn’t see things slowing down any time soon. The only problem is they’re catching a lot of lower-grade lobster which could mean a back-up at the processing plants.
“The’ll shut down on Friday, December 18th until after the new year. That’s going to cause some problems with again, a big inventory of those lower-grade products,” said Cotter.
Soft shell lobsters or lower quality catch, explained Cotter, is processed and sold as tails and meat. Whereas, fishermen are not catching as many as higher-grade live trade, that is exported to Toronto or China.
