Dumping day begins in southwestern Nova Scotia with calm conditions

Dumping day began with much fanfare in southwestern Nova Scotia early Tuesday morning.

Fireworks signalled the start of the commercial lobster season in Sambro, with loved ones waving goodbye from the wharf where crowds gathered to see the fishers off.

Fireworks are pictured on dumping day in Sambro, N.S., on Nov. 26, 2024. (Carl Pomeroy/CTV Atlantic)

"It's an exciting morning, we always all come down and watch the fireworks, as they go out, it's a pretty big day for everybody,” said Briana Beaver, whose partner is a fisher.

Dumping day for lobster fishing areas 33 and 34 is typically the final Monday of November, but there was a one-day delay this year due to rough weather.

While conditions were calm Tuesday, boats that work in LFA 34, which extends from Shelburne County around the southwest coast of the province, were allowed to leave a bit earlier at 5 a.m.

“Some of these vessels have a seven, eight, nine hour steam to reach their fishing grounds some 50 miles off and there was a chance of some increased winds later on this evening, so they wanted to get away a little bit early so they could get to those grounds and get that gear off before any winds hit,” said Dan Fleck with the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association.

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Meanwhile, fishers in LFA 33 – which extends from Cow Bay in the Halifax area south to Shelburne County – began at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Fleck said it’s a “huge day” for local lobster fishers.

“It’s quite a time of year, everybody’s ready for the fishing, driving down to the wharf this morning at 2:30 there weren’t many homes that did not have lights on, the houses were all lit up, the vessels are stacked and there’s probably close to 6,000 people that hit the water this morning in southwestern Nova Scotia,” he said from Lower East Pubnico during an interview with CTV Morning Live Atlantic.

Fleck described conditions as flat and calm out on the water Tuesday morning.

“It’s a slicker kind of a day and, knock on wood, we’re hoping everyone’s safe and sound and everyone gets back well,” he said. “Some boats will return this evening, they can’t haul their gear until midnight tonight, and some boats will stay overnight and some boats will actually stay for three or four days until they have a full load or before the weather drives them, but the forecast is looking favorable the next few days.”

Dwayne Surette, a federal Fisheries Department manager, says the first day of the season is always the most dangerous as each boat can be loaded with between 300 and 400 traps, a number that reduces the stability of the fishing vessels.

With files from CTV's Carl Pomeroy and The Canadian Press

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.