Fisheries minister to meet with members of lobster fishery in New Brunswick

MONCTON, N.B. - Federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he will meet with representatives from the lobster fishery today in New Brunswick.

LeBlanc hasn't revealed the nature of the discussions in Moncton, but lobster fishermen had asked earlier this week for an emergency meeting with the minister.

They're concerned that strict new measures being imposed on the fishery to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence could affect their livelihoods.

The lobster fishery is set to open next week and the Maritime Fishermen's Union says the new restrictions could negatively affect hundreds of fishermen.

The new measures announced Tuesday by the Fisheries Department include restrictions on the amount of rope used, and mandatory reporting of lost gear and whale sightings.

When whales are spotted, an area around them will be temporarily closed to fishing.

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