Everyone, especially fishermen, are keeping a very close watch on the marine weather forecast.
On Monday, November 27 the 2017-2018 lobster season begins off southwestern Nova Scotia.
That’s if the weather cooperates.
If the winds are above 25 knots on Monday then the opening of the season is automatically cancelled by DFO for safety.
Tomorrow conference calls begin with ports reps from LFA (Lobster Fishing Area) 33 and LFA 34, DFO in Yarmouth and Environment Canada.
Bernie Berry, a lobster fisherman from Yarmouth and president of the Coldwater Lobster Association says it’s too soon to say if Dumping Day will proceed on Monday or not.
“There seems to be a draft of air for Monday but that could change. As normal we start tomorrow morning at 11 0’clock for LFA 34. That will be the first conference call in a cycle of conference calls over the next two or three days to see what the weather is doing.”
Berry says no decision will be made tomorrow.
Patrick Gray, co-chair of LFA 33 says from his perspective fishing for 40 years, it’s very uncertain if the weather will allow fishermen in LFA 33 to head out on Monday.
“It’s iffy. It’s almost telling me that we’re not going to get out. I was over to the shoreline this morning, you could see the sea state from this last storm and there’s another one going down outside of us on Sunday.”
Gray says the first conference call for LFA 33 is tomorrow afternoon at 4pm.
Acadia News will be in contact with Berry and Gray tomorrow and through the weekend and we will update the status of Dumping Day Monday.
As in past years Y-95 CJLS will broadcast live from the Cape Forchu Lightstation and Museum when the season starts.
