The Lobster Health Research Centre (LHRC) has been in operation within the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island for the past three years. Established at the request of the lobster industry and financially supported by the Max Bell Foundation the LHRC has, within its limited resources, successfully dealt with a broad range of issues affecting this critical industry in Eastern Canada. The following report, financially supported by Human Resources Development Canada, the Province of Prince Edward Island, and the private sector confirms the need for an expanded and more organized research and development effort in lobster health. Virtually everyone contacted during the completion of the study agreed that lobster is a fundamental element of the economic landscape within eastern Canada and that additional resources should be directed toward improving our understanding of both the health of the animal and its socio-economic impact across our region. There are measures that may be taken that would improve the probability that this vital industry survives and also measures that, if properly addressed, would increase the economic value of the industry to the people of the region. The report contains a plan for the continued operation of the LHRC with a direct role for both industry and Government in its operation and financing. Total cost of implementing the proposal would amount to approximately 3 cents per pound of lobster landed on an annual basis. We have an unfortunate habit as a species of waiting until there is a problem in our wild fishery before acting. There are current examples of this on both the east and west coasts of Canada. The financial and social impact of such an event within the Lobster Industry on the east coast is unthinkable. Supporting research and development is one way to enhance opportunities for the success of the Lobster Industry. This report, together with supporting documentation, will be forwarded to the five eastern provinces and the federal government for their consideration.
To promote a partnership among industry, academia and government by providing a framework for communications, infrastructure and human resources to conduct research and educational programs which support the lobster industry in Eastern Canada. Characteristics of the concept:
The Canadian lobster fishery had a landed value of $425 million in 1998, which involves approximately 15,000 fishers in the four Atlantic provinces and Quebec. The export value of the lobster industry (~40,000 metric tonnes) in 1997 was estimated at $700 to $750 million ($320 million in Nova Scotia, $160 million in Prince Edward Island, $150 million in New Brunswick, $70 million in Quebec, and $45 million in Newfoundland-Labrador). Most (80%) Canadian lobster production is exported globally. The industry creates greater than $2 billion of economic activity in the region. The Canadian lobster is harvested only in Atlantic Canada and along the US Eastern Seaboard from Maine to Rhode Island. Maine and Massachusetts production comprised the majority of US catch estimated at US$275 million annually. Lobster landed by Atlantic region fishers is refined at value-added processing and exporting facilities (about 250 operations in the five eastern provinces). This activity in the coastal and rural communities directly employs approximately 7,000 people and many of these communities have few other economic opportunities. The Canadian lobster fishery is based on "day boats" utilizing "wooden & wire traps" to capture lobsters for shore-based processing and export to world markets. A number of management tools and policies based on science and economics have developed over the past century. These have protected the biomass from over exploitation and provided support and protection to industry stakeholders. In a competitive, global market, increasing the financial return from a finite annual harvest is a critical challenge and the lobster industry is interested in exploring new opportunities. Consequently the issue of postharvest losses (mortalities, shrink, down-grading), estimated at 10% - 15% of the gross value of the sector, is very important. This concern represents potential annual losses of approximately $70-$100 million. The lobster industry is the largest single fisheries contributor to the Eastern Canadian economy. Maintaining this important position, from both resource and business perspectives, is a major challenge. The present postharvest losses occur from infectious diseases, handling and husbandry practices, and a lack of implementation of scientific advances. These shortcomings reflect a lack of knowledge and basic health information related to lobsters. Basic health questions are numerous. To achieve a strengthened lobster industry and to develop strategic planning capabilities, basic and applied research and technology transfer are necessary. Fisheries research around the world has typically taken place only when the subject species has entered a crisis. Canada is, unfortunately, no exception to this practice. The need for significant increase in lobster research was clearly documented in the mid-1970's: "Never, however, has lobster research been supported on a level commensurate with the value of the catch, the social importance of the fishery to the Atlantic Provinces and the possible benefits of research" (1). There are millions of dollars now being invested on the east coast in failed fisheries, and one could expect similar investments to be made on the west coast as salmon stocks decline. Regarding the lobster fishery, both the Tavel Report(2) and a study(3) by the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council recommend increased research on both the science and socio-economic aspects of the lobster industry. As is the case in any economic model for sustainability, investments in continuing research and development must be made at that point in the products' life cycle when the economic returns to both public and private stakeholders are sufficient to support the investment. References:
Presently the lobster industry continues to provide substantial economic returns to both the private and public sectors, yet the collective investment in ongoing research and development appears minimal, and may even be declining. That is not to say that there has been no effective work undertaken or, that there have been no research resources applied to the industry. The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been studying various aspects of lobster for many years as have a number of provincial organizations and institutions including academia. Unfortunately these efforts have been largely disjointed and focused by local, regional, and national issues, and by the variation that seems to occur naturally in the wild fishery. Collaborative efforts among fishers, processors, pound operators, and various levels of government have, as a result, been relatively rare. The Lobster Health Research Centre (LHRC) within the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island was established on July 1, 1996 with initial funding from the Max Bell Foundation. The Centre has been very successful at meeting its mandate and has now reached a cross-roads in its development. In excess of twenty different research projects are now before the Centre from private and public partners. Currently, the Centre does not have the core resources to support this number of projects, or to obtain and support the appropriate personnel. Human resources currently available to the Centre come from individuals who carry a variety of other responsibilities for teaching, research and service both inside and outside the University. We are confident that various participants in the lobster industry, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, are willing to support research projects of the Lobster Health Research Centre. The Atlantic Veterinary College, as an institution supported by the Atlantic provinces, with its strengths in fish health, population medicine, and its geographic location on Canada's east coast was uniquely and strategically situated to develop the LHRC. A total of $150,000 from the Max Bell Foundation was used to establish the LHRC on July 1, 1996. The development of the LHRC was a direct response to requests from the lobster industry. Subsequently, the LHRC has developed a leadership role in crustacean health regionally, nationally, and internationally. Presently, the mandate of the LHRC includes teaching, research, and service in lobster health of direct interest to various sectors of the lobster industry utilising the principles of veterinary medicine. The challenge of the LHRC is to generate knowledge of lobster health, and to foster sustainability, increased profitability, and growth of the lobster industry. This knowledge base, and its systems and processes, will increase communications and information sharing within the industry, and among academia, industry, and governments. Lobster health research activities should aid decision makers with policy and regulation development. For example, to enhance communications at all levels of the lobster industry, we will develop LOBSTERnet . The primary objective of LOBSTERnet will be to achieve better information monitoring of lobster health, production, inventories & overall quality. LOBSTERnet will allow processors to obtain up-to-date information on inventories & products that will help them optimize their processing, production and marketing plans. LOBSTERnet will parallel the successful functions of APHIN (Animal Productivity & Health Information Network™) in the swine & dairy industries. LOBSTERnet's goal will be to provide an information service to the lobster processing industry in Atlantic Canada by providing the benefits that other commodities have realized by adopting APHIN information technologies. The major activities to achieve this goal would be to:
The focus of LOBSTERnet will be to advocate & encourage processing plants, in particular, and the lobster industry, in general, to utilise improved record keeping, to increase awareness of the benefits of computerized information through the confidential sharing of data, and to encourage participation in the LOBSTERnet project. Development of a secure, useful Internet lobster database will involve the latest Internet tools & products. APHIN's history & experience in major project development, competent professional computer staff, and Internet expertise, will be utilized to construct LOBSTERnet. Secure user identification techniques for transaction processing & high-volume data transfer are highly specialized software issues and are available from APHIN. Partnerships with the Federal Department of Fisheries & Oceans, academic institutions, provincial departments of fisheries and aquaculture, the private sector, and others are essential for developing an overall lobster health research program. The LHRC cannot and does not need to do it all. The LHRC could play a vital role in providing a coordinating function, with the lobster industry providing direction of the research programs.
The research, teaching, and service activities of the Lobster Health Research Centre will focus primarily on health issues of the lobster industry. The mandate of the LHRC is to apply the principles of veterinary medicine to crustacean fisheries to ensure the long-term economic viability of these industries. In consultation with industry stakeholders, the LHRC will develop and deliver basic and applied research programs in crustacean health. The LHRC will provide opportunities for veterinarians, biologists, technicians, and fisheries personnel to study crustacean health. For example, government scientists, on secondment, could work as part of a team on specific LHRC projects. The LHRC will provide information on lobster health relevant to the various levels of the fishery (i.e. fishers, processors, exporters, government agencies) and related interests (i.e. transporters, feed manufacturers, and producers of diagnostic tools, biologics, and therapeutants). Core resources for the LHRC would achieve the following functions:
Beginning in December 1998, a series of consultations was initiated with representatives from the Canadian lobster industry and regional and federal government. The focus of these discussions was to assess the needs and the scope of science and communications initiatives relevant to the lobster industry, as well as, mechanisms to establish an industry-guided Canadian Lobster Health Research Centre at AVC/UPEI which would support the long-term viability of the fishery. The lobster industry employs an estimated 32,500 Canadians throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec. Landed value to fishers is in excess of $400 million per year. Processed and refined export value is about $1 billion annually. From an economic multiplier effect, there are many benefits to the region. The industry is a leader in job and wealth creation and a major economic engine for the economy. Each year, postharvest losses of lobsters are about 10-15 per cent. Issues such as quality, handling and husbandry are associated with these losses. With appropriate technological and scientific responses, the industry could work to recapture this significant economic loss. To address the challenges, the initiative of an industry-driven Lobster Health Research Centre was presented to stakeholders for consideration. The Centre would incorporate the areas of science, health, intelligence and technology to support the industry. A detailed proposal for the development of the LHRC concept is outlined in Section 7. This concept was used as a starting point for consultations and visioning sessions with government and industry stakeholders. Over the past five months, personnel involved in this project (representatives of AVC, the Canadian Aquaculture Institute, AVC Inc., UPEI, and private sector consultants; see Appendix A) have undertaken wide-ranging discussions from Newfoundland to Ottawa with fisher and processing/marketing groups of the Canadian lobster industry. Face-to-face meetings were also held with Ministers and staff of the Departments of Fisheries of the five eastern provinces. DFO, at the local, regional, and national levels, has been consulted as well. A list detailing the organizations & groups which were consulted is attached (Appendix B). The various opinions, views and recommendations have been incorporated into this summary and into the proposed LHRC Implementation Plan (Section 7.b). The response to the concept of the LHRC has been extremely positive. Not only is there widespread endorsement for, but also recognition that, the establishment of a permanent Centre to support the lobster industry is long overdue. Repeatedly, consultations highlighted the inseparable and essential relationship between lobster health/science and maximizing economic returns. This focus helped to define the intent and scope of the proposed LHRC and the difference between health-related science and the more traditional area of science related to biomass/stock management. The discussions indicated a keen level of support for the principle of LRHC delivering a series of initiatives based on science, health, communications and technology to support the industry. To date, consultations with representatives from over 20 fisher organizations from all five eastern provinces have been undertaken. Similarly, processing and marketing sector representatives of the lobster industry and, regional government and political officials have been consulted. From these discussions, the following conclusions have been made:
Industry communications need to be improved. The ability to acquire and disseminate information and knowledge is difficult. The lack of ability and mechanisms for industry to "partner" on common areas of challenge or opportunity was noted. These shortcomings have systematically fractured industry groups and members within these groups. The present political process at the fisher/processor level is severely challenged due to the voluntary nature of the organizations and the membership thereof (except in the case of the Newfoundland fisher organization). While the desire and intent to realize positive change is strongly evident with little or no dissenting opinion, enabling mechanisms to achieve progress are absent. This reality will continue to prove to be most challenging and one we must address in implementing a course of action for improving industry health and value via the establishment of a Lobster Health Research Centre. As a result of the extensive consultations and services being delivered to industry by LHRC/AVC to date, the following points summarize the consensus on the function, form, structure, funding and governance of a Lobster Health Research Centre:
The comprehensive consultative process which has taken place over the past six months (December '98 to present) has been positive. Given the stated objective of the envisioned LHRC which is to improve industry and social economic benefits, industry input was offered in a very positive and pro-active nature. The timing of the project has been excellent. Resource disasters in other Canadian fisheries have served to highlight the need for improved attention to the lobster industry. Industry stakeholders are well aware that the lobster fishery is the most valuable marine resource in Canada. However, this is not as well recognized by governments and the public. Those close to the situation realize that the fishing industry and the eastern Canadian economy cannot survive a downturn in either lobster catch or market value. Thousands in the region are dependant on this multi-billion dollar industry and at present, little is being done to ensure sustainability and economic viability of the fishery. In fact, less than one tenth of one percent (0.1%) of the basic export value of the fishery goes into research related to the lobster industry, to the species, or the macro economic benefits accruing from the same. It is clear that the situation cannot continue -- the risks are too great.
Proposed Organizational Structure The final structure will be determined by a consultation process.
Proposed Advisory Board The function of the Advisory Board shall be to:
Composition
The Centre will continue to operate within the academic environment of the University of Prince Edward Island thereby ensuring independence and a high level of scientific rigour in the execution of its work and the selection of staff.
LHRC Divisions
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Among the findings of this study, lobster bait appeared to carry a major impact on lobster vigour, or weakness, upon arrival at processing plants. Lobsters landed from boats using mackerel bait were more than 7 times more likely to be weak when arriving at the processing plant compared to lobsters landed from boats using alternative baits. The biological or physiological explanation for this phenomenon is not clear. Mackerel is known to contain high levels of the amino acid histidine,1 which produces significant amounts of histamine during bacterial decomposition.2 This bacterial decomposition is likely to occur with any fish carcasses left unrefrigerated for extended periods. Perhaps histamine present in lobster baits adversely affects the health of harvested lobsters. More recently, it was demonstrated that small amounts of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins were found in the Atlantic mackerel.3 Therefore, it is conceivable that the slight accumulation of toxins related to paralytic shellfish poisoning in mackerel may also influence lobster health.