The dispute in the crab fishery may be spilling over to the lobster fishery.

Harvesters are refusing to fish crab, saying the price of $2.20 per pound makes it uneconomical to do so. However, the price for lobster is at an all-time high, $14.37 per pound for the harvester. The FFAW accuses buyers of colluding to shut down all fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador as retaliation for the stand-off in the crab sector.

FFAW President Greg Pretty says they have a handful of companies whose poor business models have put them in a situation where they aren’t prepared to buy at fair market prices.

The union wants the provincial government to allow outside buyers the right to purchase lobster from this province, and to give harvesters the right to ship live product out of province.