PANEL SELECTS ASP PRICE FOR LOBSTER
April 11, 2025
The decision on lobster was released this evening, with the Panel siding with ASP.
The sole issue in dispute was whether to include Thursday – Tuesday or just Tuesday in the pre-Mother’s Day period. ASP wanted a rollover of last years agreement, meaning that the price is based only on the Tuesday following the week fishing for the pre-Mother’s Day period. The FFAW offer was the original formula (i.e., the Thursday-Tuesday split) for the entire season, with the exception that if the Urner Barry price dropped more than 10% from Thursday to Tuesday during the pre-Mother’s Day period, then the price would be based on the Tuesday only.
Despite offering this compromise and accepting a price based on Tuesday only if the Urner Barry price drops more than 10%, the Panel has undermined the lobster formula which has existed since 2011 and has provided harvesters with a fair share of the market.