“The success of the lobster fishery is critical to many communities in Prince Edward Island and Atlantic Canada,” said Minister MacKinley. “The provinces committed to continue to work together to help industry address the challenges in today’s fishery and to be better positioned to capitalize on opportunities in the future.”

There was agreement that the federal government has a key role to play in both managing the fishery and supporting market development.

“With lobster landings strong, both levels of government need to work with industry and focus our efforts on market development,” said the Minister. “The Ministers also expressed concern about changes to EI which will impact seasonal workers on the boats and in the processing plants.”

The Ministers were provided with updates on landings and values, market trends, results from the recent lobster fishery in LFA25, as well as activities planned by the Lobster Council of Canada for 2013.

Combined landings of lobster in Atlantic Canada and Maine have surpassed 260 million pounds and have grown nearly 50 per cent since 2007.