As the spring lobster season in Canada nears Mother’s Day when demand rises, lobstermen are worried about the rate.

Beforehand, the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) published the starting April 20-26 price at C$10.39 ($7.50) a pound.

FFAW’s rate usually considers industry publication Urner Barry (UB), which stipulates that for every US$5 UB price, fishers get US$3.25. Furthermore, all prices above US$5 guarantee a 70% share for harvesters, while offers above US$6 garner an 80% share. 

Yet, many harvesters currently believe that they could receive as little as 6 dollars a pound as the week’s prices come up.

Because prices in most seasons start high and then decline gradually, the starting rate has understandingly frustrated fishermen.

Even though the April 20-26 price is below 2024’s starter of C$12.65 ($9.25) a pound, it apparently sidelines rising costs.

According to the Maritime Fishermen’s Union (MFU) on April 30, 2025, low pricing is worrying because bait costs are up. 

The union’s director Martin Mallet cited expenses as risen by 20 to 50%, which calls for strong market prices.

Hopes meanwhile attach to the trade-friendly Mother’s Day, which this year falls on May 11 in North America. 

During this holiday, lobster demand increases and the set pricing changes accordingly, mostly in favor of harvesters. 

Mallet therefore makes bold and demands that the minimum should be 8 dollars a pound, to coincide with peak demand.

There is a damp, however, on the effect of China’s tariff on the industry, including the threat of a home surplus. 

China receives 20% of the average C$2.9-billion ($2.1 billion) that Atlantic Canada ships each year.  

So, as the uncertain Canada lobster rate continues to beleaguer harvesters on top of mounting costs, holiday demand nears. For more information on how domestic lobster pricing has fared during past Mother’s Day weekends, peruse the following statistics.

Canada Lobster Rate During Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is the axle around which the start of Canada’s spring lobster season turns its pricing. While it does not always lead to price increases, it nevertheless brings higher purchases, allowing fishermen to land 2 million pounds of lobster daily (2022).

One such price decrease was in 2016 when the Fish, Food And Allied Workers (FFAW) put the May 8-14 rate at C$7.71 ($5.97) a pound. This was from a C$8.82 ($6.95) per pound opener. 

During 2016, however, independent markets across Atlantic Canada were showing competitive Mother’s Day pricing. According to the Charlottetown Guardian, Charlottetown on the Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) was offering market lobsters at C$8.50 ($6.15) a pound. Breadalbane, also on P.E.I., was offering C$7.50 ($5.43) per pound for market lobster while relegating canners to C$6.50 ($4.70). 

Fast-forwarding to 2023, May 7-13 harvester’s prices were at C$10.44 ($7.75) per pound. Although a drop from the starting C$19.02 ($14.10) on April 16, it was higher than the followup prices that declined till mid-June.