Sussex — There was good news this week for New Brunswick’s fledgling inland lobster fishery as Premier Brian Gallant gorgeously articulated his plan to bolster the niche industry during its rough early years.
The premier made the announcement at the edge of a grassy field in Sussex where the most prominent inland lobster fishermen had just finished checking their traps, discovering naught. The 6 self-employed fishermen, all Newfoundland immigrants, held signs supporting the cause, sporting such slogans as, “Save the fisheries” and “Where’s the lobster at?”
“We’ll keep you supplied with beer and tuques,” Gallant proclaimed to the jolly Newfies as a description of the form of payment they would provide. “You just keep checking those traps.”
Ronnie Jones is one such fisherman and also heads the local Union of Inland Lobster Fisheries. “Well we heard there was fisheries in New Brunswick, right? O’ course it sounded a little strange that there’s fishermen in the mainland. But work is work so here we came, bought ourselves a patch o’ land and set the traps. And here we wait, months later, and nerry a lobster come crawlin’ up them hills. We ain’t disheartened though. Mister Gallant is gallant indeed and now we got some beer and some fresh tuques so we can hold out a little longer.”
When asked why he chose to support such a small industry, Gallant cited the importance of job creation, but he also had this to say:
“We want all the Newfoundlanders we can get. We just love having them around. They cheer people up! New Brunswickers can be so cranky. Plus these guys are adorable — just look at them with their beards, checking their traps, drinking their beer. Not everything has to be about making money, you know.”