TONEY RIVER - Lobster fishermen are outraged by the province's food safety program requiring them to apply for food vendor permits days before the season is set to begin.
Ronnie Heighton, spokesman for the Northumberland Fisherman's Association, said requiring fishermen to hold a food vendor permit by May 4 to sell live lobster from the roadside is ridiculously outrageous.
"I can't imagine the minister agreeing to this and I think it's the bureaucrats doing this behind the minister's back, in my opinion," said Heighton.
To improve food safety standards, vendors selling live lobster from the roadside will be required to have a food permit similar to other lobster vendors. However, traditional direct sales from fishing boats are exempt.
Mike Horwich, director of food protection at the Department of Agriculture, said last winter there was an unprecedented number of fishermen direct-marketing lobster. Because they were selling perishable food they were required to have a permit but many simply were not aware of it, so the department has launched an education campaign highlighting food safety standards.
"Our food safety system is set up to protect consumers," said Horwich. "We strive for food safety standards which are applied equally to all in the industry, from the start of food's journey all the way to the consumer."
Heighton said he was blind-sided by the permit requirement, having received first word about it on Monday when he picked up the mail, and questions the poor judgment of the province's policy makers to enforce this at a time when the economy is depressed forcing fishermen to bear another expense.
"If they were going to do this it should have been done months ago," Heighton said. "They know when the season starts and once again we are being ignored."
He said the timing of the program couldn't be worse, being announced days before the season is to begin, and he feels it is unnecessary.
"If you are selling live lobster out of the back of your truck and it's not moving, it's dead," Heighton said. "Consumers are not going to buy dead lobster."
Following the initial application there is a waiting period of 10 business days before a permit is issued. The cost is $40.53 including tax.
Darryl MacIvor, president of the local Maritime Fishermen's Union, said the policy is a knee-jerk reaction triggered by a situation that arose last November in southwest Nova Scotia when hundreds of fishermen began selling lobster from the back of pickups because buyers were only offering $3.25 per pound.
"It feels like the province is trying to handcuff our local guys," said MacIvor.
He said right now the policy may not have an impact but if fishermen here are not happy with the price buyers are offering, their hands are tied unless they have a permit to market their catches themselves.
"I would encourage the local fishermen to call their MLAs and voice their concerns," said Heighton.
Vendors can obtain a food permit by contacting the food safety section at 424-1173.
Fishermen trapped
Fishermen trapped
- Published on April 30th, 2009
- Published on December 29th, 2009
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Sherry Martell
Fisherman blind-sided by program requiring them to hold vendor permits
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Comments
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- greg
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:21:22
Mildred, I'm sorry but they do not cook dead lobster. And if they are they should be ashamed,as they are posing a health risk.
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- D.Edwards
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:19:57
This is just another attempt for the government and big business to push the little guy around. We all know big business runs this tory government. The middle man is the only one making money . So i hope the fishermen stand up and don't buy their silly licence crap.
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- Max
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:06:43
Apply for the permit. Have a copy of the application and fee receipt with you while selling road side 9it's only $40.00). What are they going to do charge you all. They may, but as the law states, Chargres must be in the interest of the public and probabity of getting a conviction must be high. Certainly doesn't measure up to either. Besides the Prov Govt has an election coming up. Finaly I just can't see the fishermen I know putting up with this kind of crap just because some of the buyers don't like it.
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- Ford
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:06:10
Sobeys has far too much influence and the gov. allow it
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- Kass
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:03:50
Shame On Whoever came up with this Obnoxious Money Grab Let Their Greedy Faces be Shown on the Front Page of All The Nova Scotia News Papers . and I too will be buying lobsters but Not from Any Grocery Store or Government Agency . There is No Satisfying Government GREED !!!
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- P
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:02:03
Its only $40...
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- Bonnie
- - January 18th, 2010 at 13:00:53
This is ridiculous !!! The fisherman are next to being in the poor house with all the fees and maintenance to put their boats in the water and now the government has once again found a way to take more of their money. When the fisherman ask for help the government slams the door in their face but as soon as the government thinks they are missing a dollar, they are there with both hands out. It is pitiful to think that a career that has been for hundereds of years and provided for many families comfortably could be flattened by GOVERNMENT GREED. As the saying goes, the fat man's busy dancing, while the poor man pays the band. If Government is trying to produce more jobs...leave the ones alone that worked and maybe most of them would still be in business.
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- johanna
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:58:32
why dont they just leave the lobster fishermen along as a 31 year resident of pictoulanding and living a rock throw from the fishing warf.31 years ago yes one could say lobster fishing was the thing to do and the pay at the end of the day was good .But over the years there has been a big decline on lobster fishermans wages as one know they bascially work for them selfs and hire there helpers.The lobster fishermen have taken a lot of loss in earnings as lobster prices continue to drop rapidly!and now the goverment wants then to obtain vendor licence for haven sakes leave these had working man alone!! they have familys children wifes pets to feed and bills to pay!Its bothers me a lot when i hear a conversation where people are saying and yes the lobster fisherman arent they lucky they make big money and only have to work a couple months out of the year.What some people dont seen to realize these fishermen have to maintain a vessels up keep . buy fuel,pay there help.and a fishermen is at that warf before 6 oclock ever morning rain shine sleet hail or extreme heat .and there days not over just when they return to the warf with there catch .they r there for more hours unloading there catch and if need be back and fourth to the warf at night to do repairs to there vessel or load the bait on the boat for the next day.Being a fisherman is not what some people seen to think it is.they work very hard to put food on there tables and risk there life everyday as they head out to sea to make there own pay check!!!!! seems like the goverment has its self in such financial money problems they are starting to rob peter to pay paul meaning taking form one industry to make money to fix another buisness or industry that is in a state of financial upset. why not leave the working people alone life is hard enough with out the goverment up setting honest peoples lifes !!!!!And one more thing i might add where is peter mackay in all of this hes a born and raised nova scotian for heaven sakes peter do something for theses hard working fishermen!!!!!
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- Andrew
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:39:51
Wow....poor fisherman....it never changes...a lot of people work hard....a lot of people work bad hours...a lot of people work dangerous jobs and for that matter, fishing lobster in the Strait sure as heck ain't The Deadliest Catch. I get a kick out of people complaining about the government involvment. I agree. Lets also pull chronic UI abuse, tax deductions, etc. .Lets get rid of that government involvment too.
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- Belinda
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:35:42
we all know who complained and brought this licensing deal to a head-the biggest retailers of the product,the grocery chains,they don't want to lose their huge markup to the guys who actually catch the product.Need i say more...
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- Ryan
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:33:32
Lobster season is like a US election, long, whiney and full of mud slinging. The traps are in the water let the complaining begin!
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- Allan
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:31:04
thanks for your 2 cents worth Ryan,now could you kindly find out how much rain we are going to get in the next 2 days-the flood ahead signs remain at the side of the road in Plymouth,sheesh,i thought that DoT&PW's crews were supposed to pick them up after the peril has gone,no wonder they get stolen or used as firewood....like driving along and seeing signs-slow down,men working ahead,and not a worker in site for the next two days,sheeesh,is this what you meant by whining haha ?
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- Allan
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:29:45
i am only to willing to bet that if any lobster fisherman/woman who is selling roadside had on their sign the following,,an extra 25 cents per sale to help cover our license fee to the Conservative government of nova scotia during their financial hard times will be charged ,they wouldn't get one iota of disagreement in collecting it,come on Folks,it's well worth the extra quarter in their pockets than in our grocery giants pockets.
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- Belinda
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:23:17
Ryan sounds like a die hard Tory trying to make it sound ok that his lord and master has done nothing,heard nothing,and spouts like a gyser,so Ryan,what is the next round of picking up for them after they get booted out next week,cry us a river...
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- jack
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:19:03
It's all about food safety- plain and simple. I can hear the posts on here if one person gets sick from eating spoiled lobster. You would blame the government. So suck it up and realize that it is to protect the consumer and a cost of doing business. Sell from the wharf if you don't want to buy the permit. There are alternatives.
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- Kass
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:18:02
Shame On Whoever came up with this Obnoxious Money Grab Let Their Greedy Faces be Shown on the Front Page of All The Nova Scotia News Papers . and I too will be buying lobsters but Not from Any Grocery Store or Government Agency . There is No Satisfying Government GREED !!!
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- Mildred
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:08:53
The food safety inspectors should check with the retailers, it is their practice to check their holding tanks in the morning and any dead or dying lobsters are cooked and then sold.
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- fred
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:04:47
This time honoured right of fishermen and farmers to sell directly to the public has been altered by our government to satisfied the requests of the grocery chains. It has nothing to do with health inspection requirements. As a consumer I fully intend to find a fisherman who is willing to sell over the side and to heck with both the government and the groceries chains.
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- jobless in Pictou
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:03:55
wow...it,s only $40.Preety cheap to enable the fishermen to sell their catch on the side of the road where they earn an extra $1.00 per pound or more.
Anyone else in the business of selling products has to have a liscense.
Oh but I forgot it,s the Tories trying to rob the poor fishermen who work hard for two months then draw EI for the other 10 months....Hey folks it could be a hell of a lot worse.You could be banned from selling roadside,due to the possibilty you may be selling rotten dead product that could kill someone.
Fishermen get lots of breaks such as cheaper fuel and special plates for their trucks etc..... -
- Kevin
- - January 18th, 2010 at 12:03:29
health concern my butt, sellers will sell lobster same way as they did before the 40 dollar permit was put in place. its a money grab as always and its the big companys pushing the govt to do this. fisherman should set the prices not the grocery stores.
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- WifeOfaLobsterFisherman
- - January 18th, 2010 at 11:58:59
Fred and Belinda, I couldn't have said it better myself. It is about time we cut the middle man out!
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- Ryan
- - January 18th, 2010 at 11:53:39
I like how no one seams to notice where it says that they were required to buy the license last year too if they were going to park there truck somewhere in town and sell there catch out of coolers. They are still aloud to sell there catch over the side of the boat at dock side. I fail to see how the government has done anything other then give a reminder to the fishermen that they need this permit nothing new has changed.
I find it odd that Mr. Heighton was unaware of this fact being the spokesmen for the Northumberland Fishermans Association.
I wonder how many people would be upset with the government if one of these fishermen accidentally sickened 20 or 30 people. How did this happen? Where was the government enforcement Bla Bla Bla.
If you want your cheep lobster hit the docks and buy it but remember buyer beware the government is not going to have your back if the vender that you bought it from is not up to par with the quality and sanitation. -
- Ryan
- - January 18th, 2010 at 11:48:43
Hey I call it right down the middle does not matter what side of the fence Im on. The license was in place and they didnt buy them. Im not picking up for anyone.
Last year it was gas prices were too high this year it is a 40 dollar license.
Lobster is a luxury food no one is going to die if they decide not to fish them. It use to be a garbage catch before seams to be sliding down the tubes again move on, find something else, or get out of the business.
Restructure seams to be a sign of the times look at the car industry.
