Despite the fact they still believe the job of issue lobster tags should be handled by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the PEI Fishermen’s Association now finds itself as a tag supplier.
The group found out just before Christmas it was the first confirmed supplier in the country to have its proposal approved by the assessment committee set up by DFO. The department announced last summer it would not issue tags for the 2013 season. Association President Mike McGeoghegan, said if the decision could not be reversed, the group’s preference was to have industry groups issue the tags. He is worried a third party supplier in the business for profit would be detrimental to the industry. He also argued it could lead to a free-for-all on the water and set back conservation efforts put in place over the years by industry and government.
He said more details on how the tags will be administers and distributed will be made available in the coming weeks.
