Berried and Tagged Female Lobster
Trucks loaded with Maritime lobster are facing heavy scrutiny by U.S. border officials.
Inspectors at the Maine-New Brunswick border are looking for undersized and egg-bearing lobster, which are illegal. It marks the second consecutive year that American officials have stepped up inspections ahead of the Christmas rush, when the industry is trying to move millions of dollars of lobster across the border in just a few weeks. “It’s very important that the truckloads we send to the border now — that they’re legal,” said Denny Morrow, executive director of the Nova Scotia Fish Packers Association. He said shippers and buyers must strictly follow the rules to prevent problems for the entire industry. Canadian fisheries officers recently doubled the number of searches in a weeklong enforcement blitz in southwest Nova Scotia, as the lucrative lobster fishery got underway. Ian Marshall, a senior official with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans in the region, said more than 800 vessels have been checked and 17 people charged. Trucks loaded with Maritime lobster are facing heavy scrutiny by U.S. border officials. Inspectors at the Maine-New Brunswick border are looking for undersized and egg-bearing lobster, which are illegal. Canadian fisheries officers recently doubled the number of searches in a week long enforcement blitz in southwest Nova Scotia, as the lucrative lobster fishery got underway.