At Seaside Fresh Lobster & Seafood, every lobster and halibut we offer tells a story. It’s a story rooted in the Mi’kmaq heritage of Esgenoôpetitj (Burnt Church), our home on the shores of Miramichi Bay in New Brunswick. It’s a story of resilience, of a treaty right to fish affirmed, and of a deep, guiding commitment to the health of the ocean we have stewarded for millennia. Harvested from these pristine, cold waters, our seafood is the result of fishing with peace and purpose, and we want to share that story with you.
Our Commitment to Lobster Conservation
Our promise of quality begins with a profound respect for the resource. Our lobster fishery operates within a framework of strict, science-based conservation rules designed to ensure a healthy, abundant stock for generations to come. We fish in a designated area, Lobster Fishing Area (LFA) 23 and only during a specific season, from late April to the end of June, protecting lobsters during their vulnerable molting and reproductive periods.
About LFA 23: Where We Fish and Why It Matters
LFA 23 covers part of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, including our traditional waters. The area is governed by some of the most robust conservation measures in Canada. Every trap we use is equipped with escape vents required by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to allow juvenile lobsters to go free and support the future of the stock. All traps must also include biodegradable panels, ensuring that if a trap is lost, it will break down naturally, reducing the risk of "ghost fishing."
Strict legal requirements and our own cultural ethics mean that every egg-bearing female lobster must be returned to the water. In LFA 23, the release of “window-size” and ovigerous (egg-bearing) females is mandatory, supporting a strong breeding population. Many of our fishers voluntarily participate in the V-notch program as well: proven female spawners are marked and released, making them easy to identify and protect in future seasons—a science-backed approach that has shown to boost lobster populations. LFA 23 also requires electronic logbooks for reporting and enables traceability of catch and effort, making our fishery transparent and accountable (Fisheries and Oceans Canada – LFA 23 info).
A Halibut Success Story You Can Taste
Our Atlantic Halibut comes from one of the great conservation success stories in Canadian waters. Once facing collapse, the Gulf of St. Lawrence halibut stock has been carefully rebuilt over decades through meticulous, science-based management.
Unlike the lobster fishery, the halibut fishery is managed with a hard cap on the total amount that can be caught each year, known as a Total Allowable Catch (TAC). This ensures the harvest never exceeds sustainable levels. The accountability is unparalleled: every single halibut landed is weighed and verified at the dock by an independent, third-party monitor. This 100% dockside monitoring provides a chain of custody that guarantees every fish we sell is fully traceable and has been harvested as part of a successful, sustainable plan. A large minimum size limit of 85 cm also ensures that young halibut have the chance to mature and reproduce multiple times before they can be harvested.
From Our Waters to Your Table
For us, fishing is more than a business; it’s a responsibility we owe to our ancestors, our community, and to future generations. When you choose Seaside Fresh, you’re not just buying exceptional, wild-caught seafood. You are supporting a legacy of stewardship, a story of reconciliation, and a vision for a sustainable future where both our people and the ocean can thrive. We invite you to taste the difference that heritage and responsibility make.
Explore our fresh and frozen selections and taste the story for yourself. Visit us today at https://seasidefreshlobsterandseafood.com/.