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                                      NOTES – LOBSTER NODE’S 4TH AGM
                                  January 14-15th, 2014, Westin Hotel, Halifax, NS
Representatives of the PEIFA participated in this year’s 4th Lobster Node AGM in Halifax from January 14th-15th. The Lobster Node stems from the Canadian Capture Fisheries Network (CCFN) with projects directed at specific lobster research priorities. CCFN and the Lobster Node are a unique collaboration of academic researchers, the fishing industry as well as some government researchers and managers from across Canada. Highlights of the meeting included the student presentations with interesting work on movement of lobster and temperature effects on stage IV larvae behavior (15C vs 20C). New Genetics research was also proposed where upwards of 6000 genetic markers could be used to identify lobster to a specified location and may be able to assist with future traceability efforts. Impacts of climate change, socio-economic research on the contribution of the lobster fishery to coastal communities/the economy, and new tools for scientific data collection were identified as possible future lobster research priorities for the group.
HIGHLIGHTS: Laura, Lee and Jamie in attendance and had the following highlights of the Meeting
PROJECT UPDATES:
 MARTHA: Continues to work on a model looking at connectivity between areas and using all the various projects to feed into it.
 GILLES: Effects of Temperature on stage 4 lobster behavior: In the lab at 20C, stage 4 lobster took longer to settle and spent more time out of hiding when they did settle to the bottom (more susceptible to predation). At 15C they were took less time to settle on the bottom and spent less time out of their shelter.
 NEEDED: Masters Student and Research Assistant (University of Moncton) to assist on research looking into terrain and predation of lobster.
 NEEDED: More information on trap design and location (see Robert MacMillan)
 KRISTIN: settlement on mud bottom
 BRYAN MOYSE: Studied Juvenile lobster and connectivity. Demonstrated that Juvenile lobster did not travel far and in fact returned to their home, thus not contributing to connectivity between areas/lfas.
 BERNARD: New research on frequency of abnormal clutch size (# eggs on female). Two reasons noted include food limitation (environmentally stressed and not eating or could be high density location leading to competition for food) or sperm limitation (maybe hard to encounter a mate or not enough supply of sperm in reserve)
 GENOMICS RESEARCH: Louis Bernachez is proposing to revisit lobster genomics and use over 6000 markers to identify lobster from specified areas. Previous genomics work has used 30
markers and shows two populations. New Research on this field could assist in tracability efforts.
 NEEDED: Volunteers for the larval hatch period project (looking for 30 females/site)
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LOBSTER NODE INCORPORATED:
 The Lobster Node was incorporated two years ago in order to apply for funding for particular projects requiring additional funds. The cost was covered by the Network. There are no projects currently under the incorporation
 Laura Ramsay replaced Paul Wood on the Board of the Lobster Node Inc in 2012
 It was decided at the 2014 AGM that the Lobster Node Inc would be maintained ($40/year) if needed for future lobster research project funding leveraging. The Board includes one Industry rep from each province (2 from NS).
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GROUP SESSIONS:
PRIORITY RESEARCH BRAINSTORMING & DISCUSSION:
 Communication
 Procautionary Approach – adapting a Canadian model, research on other indicators
 Contaminants and lobster (Northumberland Strait)
 Climate Change and lobster (reducing Carbon footprint)
 MSC – research on by-catch
 Marketing Initiatives (Value of the Fishery to local communities – Socio-Economic)
 Disease

 

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