N.S. community reels as Clearwater closes lobster processing at facility

Two Nova Scotia communities are devastated by Clearwater’s decision to get out of the lobster business.

In the wake of Clearwater Seafoods’ announcement it will shut down its lobster processing line at a Lockeport, N.S., plant, longtime manager Chris Morash spent Friday applying for employment insurance.

“Going to go get my ducks in a row so I can keep some cash flow coming and put food on the plates,” he said.

Morash is one of 60 workers who were laid off due to Clearwater’s move away from inshore lobster processing.

“I was the only one in my home working steady 40 fours a week-plus,” he said. “To go from that to suddenly nothing… that’s going to be difficult.”

In a town with fewer than 450 people, roughly 15 per cent of them are now without a job.

“There aren’t very many other employers or opportunities around here so it’s not like these people can walk to the next fish plant or the next employer down the road,” said Lockeport Mayor Derek Amalfa.

The Lockeport plant will continue to process scallops, but there is concern with how sustainable it might be.

“We don’t know how the seasons and how the catches will be with the scallops,” said councillor Craig Hillen.

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