A few days before the end of the lobster fishing season, the ideal profitability threshold may not be reached; a first in three years.
This is what the Magdalen Islands Lobster Fishermen’s Office confirms. Since 2020, lobstermen in the Îles-de-la-Madelaine have observed a decrease in their profitability.
The moderate average price of lobster is expected to be $6.05 per pound, according to the Lobster Fishermen’s Office, which represents a 10% decrease compared to 2023.
However, the price should instead be set at $7.49 per pound, which would be more advantageous for fishermen. The last time the price was this low was 5 years ago, in 2019.
A situation which is particularly worrying for the Magdalen Islands Lobster Fishermen’s Office.
“We are 58 cents below the break-even point. It affects newcomers to fishing. We know that these young people pay a huge price for a fishing business. When a young person pays a million, the rate of profitability must be there,” explained the general director of the Office of Lobster Fishermen of the Îles-de-la-Madelaine, Diane Cyr.
For his part, MP Joel Arsenault says he is worried about the succession and calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, André Lamontagne, to take up the matter in order to ensure the profitability of the ‘industry.
“Minister André Lamontagne, last year, refused a request from certain fishermen in the Magdalen Islands to form a cooperative to acquire their own lobsters and market them. He opted for the status quo. He locked down the current joint plan by saying that we must not destabilize the market, that we must ensure that we maximize the economic benefits for the community and the value of the product. But it is exactly the opposite.
Lobster season continues until July 6.
