in later years have seriously declined and today ground fish are

caught, only on government testing quotas. Government rules and regulations are the order of the day in

the fishing industry, and fishers are upset with many of the changes. In the early years of fishing one license costing 25 cents, covered all of one‘s fishing requirements for a year. Now every species has its own license or permit governing its own exploitation plus quotas. This was unheard of in the early years of fishing. Now there is a limit on every species for conservation.

Lobster size limit was in effect since the 40’s. Lobsters were first measured in overall length from the tip of

the horn on the nose to the end of the tail, with 7 1/2 inches being the minimum. This method of measuring went out in the early fifties. It was replaced by a carapace measure of 2 1/2 inches, measured from the rear of either eye socket to the rear of the body shell. Lobster trap lath spacing introduced in the 1950 lasted a few years then discontinued. It was reintroduced and enforced in 1987. In 1996 a new lobster trap escape hatch was implemented for better conservation measures. Traps are now required to have a biodegradable panel with a minimum opening of 89 mm by 148 mm (3 1/2 inches by 5 7/8 inches). The rectangular escape mechanism with a minimum size of 38.1 mm. In the southern part of the Gulf of St Lawrence, in all lobster fishing areas, 1 1/2 inches by 5 inches was implemented. This measure allows undersize lobsters to leave the traps before

they are hauled to the surface. Changes are continuing annually, including trap limits, and

licenses for fishers and «natives alike. More demanding fees are cutting into the profits of the fishers, making it almost impossible

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