(Montreal) Let’s go for the lobster fishing season in Quebec, starting with the launch which took place on Saturday in Gaspésie.
For 11 years, lobster caught near the coasts of Gaspésie and Anticosti Island has carried a label marked with an alphanumeric code, which allows consumers to trace the origin of the lobster on their plate, and even to know the name of the fisherman, the boat and the area in which it was caught, recalls the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) in a press release.
The start of the lobster fishery varies by region. This will be the case in particular from May 8 on the Lower North Shore.
About 1,500 fishermen make a living from lobster fishing in Quebec, according to the most recent data from MAPAQ.
“St. Lawrence shellfish are the pride of coastal regions and are prized both locally and internationally. Our government will continue to support industry efforts to eco-certify fisheries,” said André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on Saturday.
“Lobster fishing energizes the socio-economic activity of coastal regions, particularly those of Gaspésie and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine,” adds Minister Lamontagne, who urges “fishermen and fisherman’s helpers, whether they are novices or experienced, to exercise caution when going out to sea”.
About thirty factories located in the maritime regions hold an authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to process lobster. Landings of this crustacean in Quebec are estimated at more than 201 million annually.