Record year for lobster fishing in the Islands

Photo Vanessa Loignon
Francis Déraspe, 23 years old, his grand-father, John-Fred, 83 years old, and his father, Denis, 50 years old, are very satisfied with the fishing this season.

Vanessa loignon

Saturday, 15 July 2017 23:19

UPDATE
Saturday, 15 July 2017 23:27

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ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE | The year 2017 will go down in history for the lobster fishermen of the Islands, while records at the level of the price received and the quantity of crustaceans caught were recorded.

The fishing season, which ended this Saturday, July 15, made a lot of happy in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Most of the fishermen of the Islands rejoiced in the excellent season.

The record for the number of pounds of lobster caught in the Îles has been beaten two weeks before the end of the fishing this year.

According to the fishermen, the season of 2017 broke the all-time record, as are 8 million pounds of lobsters were harvested, compared to 7 and a half million in 2015, the previous record.

Remember that the lobster fishery lasts only nine weeks, six days per week, Monday to Saturday.

“It is a never-before-seen in the Islands. This is a record in the quantity and in prices, ” said Denis Déraspe, lobster fisherman.

The more we advance in the season of the lobster, the larger the size of the crustacean increases. “When we started, in the first weeks, there was an average of around 1.34 book. Towards the end, we were about 1.50 a pound, ” says Denis Déraspe.

Fishing delayed for a week

Due to the bad weather, in particular wind, the fishing has been delayed for a week.

Last may 13, was held in the water of the cages to the Islands. These are 325 boat captains and their crew who were excited to go out to sea.

Several families were lifted in the early morning in order to applaud and encourage the fishermen.

The fisheries, especially the lobster, is a major economic engine in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

In addition to the fishermen, processing plants present in the four corners of the Islands are to work more Islanders during the season.

Beyond the economic aspect, and fishing is an integral part of the culture of the Islands. Several aspects revolve around fishing, the stories, the music, the customs and the family.

Family history

Including to Denis Déraspe, captain of the ship FranSimMe, it is a story of family.

For the past 11 years, he has his boat. Over time, his boys, Francis and Simon, joined him for the season of the lobster. The father of Denis Déraspe, John-Fred Déraspe, also participates sometimes in the activity.

In addition to the lobster fishery, M. Déraspe fishing as flounder, halibut, mackerel and herring.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada shall calculate now the total number of pounds of lobster caught in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine for the season 2017.

However, many fishers say that they are more than satisfied and hope that the season of 2018 will also be good.

It must be said that the results of the season 2016 were not at the rendezvous. Only 5.6 million pounds of lobsters were reported to have been.