A spokesman for a lobster fishermen’s group in South Western Nova Scotia says fishermen must become more
engaged in matters that affect their livelihood.
Some of those include offshore development projects like wind turbines and oil and gas exploration.
Bernie Berry of the Coldwater Lobster Association says in many cases the industry is facing a united front from
the federal and provincial governments and big business.
Berry says the fishery is renewable and thriving and must not be put at risk.
“If something happens and our industry is put at risk or damaged, a royalty check going into Halifax or wherever is never going to replace a
paycheque going into our local economies. We’re not trying to say that none of these projects can happen period, but there has to be a mind
set change that we were here first.”
At this week’s lobster forum in Yarmouth fishermen were told that oil and gas development could put lobster grounds, scallop nursery
areas and haddock spawning grounds at risk.
