Lobster Fishery Off to Good Start Thanks to Urner Barry Formula

Bernard Barter is a harvester from Three Rock Cove on the Port au Port Peninsula and, like most harvesters on the west coast, lobster is by far his main fishery. Bernard was very pleased with the price for the first week of fishing and knows this will give all harvesters that fished in that week a good boost in such an uncertain year. “We don’t know what the market will do but we do know the formula will give us a decent share, it has to stay in place,” said Bernard.

Ernest Decker is a harvester from Rocky Harbour on the Northern Peninsula and will set his lobster traps on Saturday. While he knows that the market can change from week to week and that he’ll be starting the same time as many areas in the Maritimes, he’s pleased that the Urner Barry Formula and minimum price of $3.25 is still in place. “The formula is what gives us a fair price and I was very happy that the FFAW made sure that it was kept in place this year,” said Ernest.

The price for lobster for a given week (sales Sunday to Saturday) is finalized on Tuesday evening and posted Wednesday morning of the week following with most lobster areas open until late June to mid-July.