After a recent federal court ruling, Category B lobster license holders are pushing to remove a policy that prevents them from selling their license.
Over two months ago a federal judge set aside former Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan’s decision, under the “Moonlighter policy”, to deny a fisherman permission to sell his class B lobster license.
Category B licence holders are working to challenge the policy. Michel Samson is a lawyer with Cox and Palmer, the firm representing the licence holders.
They’re calling on the current minister, Joyce Murray, to remove the policy.
“Many are concerned about leaving money behind for their spouse so that they can continue to live independently, some want to pass it down to a child who has been fishing the license with them,” says Samson “Enforcing that policy almost 50 years later just doesn’t make any more sense.”
There are approximately 80 Category B license holders throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI.
LFA’s 33 and 34 have the largest concentration of Category B licenses in our province, with between 25-30 licence holders.
Samson says allowing them to sell their licence it would not have a significant impact on the lobster industry.
“There would be no cost to DFO and I think everyone recognizes that we are very fortunate and that the lobster fishery is very healthy with the landings, certainly very healthy with the price, so this is the right time to change a policy which no longer is required.”
He says traps held by Category B licence holders in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI make up less than once percent.
