Carnival volunteer Kent Corbett said since prices were reaching the $8 a pound mark during the lobster season, many fishermen opted to sell their large lobsters to a buyer rather than keep them for the contest.
“I’ve never run into this in my 25 years where the price was good that the fishermen couldn’t be convinced to hold on to them,” he said.
The king lobster contest is one of the many activities that take place Friday evening during the opening ceremonies. One of the rules of the contest is that the lobster must be alive when it is on stage.
Corbett said he knows of at least three larger than usual sized lobsters that were caught in local waters, including a 10.2-pound lobster that was sold to a processor on the last day of the fishing season.
He said an eight-pound blue lobster caught this season is currently on display at the Northumberland Fisheries Museum, but he is unsure if the owner will put it in the contest.
“We are hoping he will come in and weigh it,” he said.
Corbett said the carnival committee is increasing the prize money for the king lobster to $100 in hopes of enticing someone from across the province enter.
The contest will go ahead as scheduled on Friday night, July 9, at 7 p.m. on the main stage, along with the lobster banding competition.
Carnival volunteer Kent Corbett said since prices were reaching the $8 a pound mark during the lobster season, many fishermen opted to sell their large lobsters to a buyer rather than keep them for the contest.
“I’ve never run into this in my 25 years where the price was good that the fishermen couldn’t be convinced to hold on to them,” he said.
The king lobster contest is one of the many activities that take place Friday evening during the opening ceremonies. One of the rules of the contest is that the lobster must be alive when it is on stage.
Corbett said he knows of at least three larger than usual sized lobsters that were caught in local waters, including a 10.2-pound lobster that was sold to a processor on the last day of the fishing season.
He said an eight-pound blue lobster caught this season is currently on display at the Northumberland Fisheries Museum, but he is unsure if the owner will put it in the contest.
“We are hoping he will come in and weigh it,” he said.
Corbett said the carnival committee is increasing the prize money for the king lobster to $100 in hopes of enticing someone from across the province enter.
The contest will go ahead as scheduled on Friday night, July 9, at 7 p.m. on the main stage, along with the lobster banding competition.
