Colwell clarifies lobster levy remarks
Posted Jul 29, 2014 06:17:49 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Fisheries Minister Keith Colwell is clarifying remarks he made about a proposed lobster marketing levy.
Organizations representing fishermen and processors expressed surprise yesterday over news the government was preparing legislation to be introduced in the fall that would allow it to collect a five cent a pound lobster levy.
But Colwell says the levy will be part of a pilot project to be conducted in a region not yet identified.
He says the purpose is to adopt standards to improve quality.
As for legislation planned for the fall, Colwell says it will establish the framework needed to collect the levy and not specify how much it is.
A three-member panel that reviewed the lobster industry last year proposed a two-cent levy to boost marketing efforts, with one cent coming from fishermen and the other from buyers and processors.
