WEST DOVER, Nova Scotia (AP) – Some Nova Scotia lobster fishermen received a much-needed donation Saturday – hundreds of traps to replace gear destroyed or damaged by hurricane Juan.

The lobster traps were collected from various communities throughout the province.

“I had something like 22 calls from lobster fishermen asking if they could bring traps down and what they could do for us,” said George Zinck, vice-president of the Prospect Area Full-time Fishers Association.

Zinck said a new lobster trap costs $80. He said association members affected by the storm don’t have the money or time to replace what they lost in time for the opening of the winter lobster fishery on Nov. 30.

“We had one man just up above us here that lost his (livelihood) – he’s an older man, and he’s just not going to be able to recover,” Zinck said on a rain-soaked wharf in West Dover.

Juan hit Nova Scotia early on Sept. 29, killing two people and causing millions of dollars of damage.

Zinck, 61, of East Dover said several wharfs and fishing shacks in his area were lost in the storm, but no boats were destroyed.

He said lobster fishermen in Upper Prospect were perhaps hardest hit.

“Fishermen there were totally wiped out,” said Zinck. “I think out of 10 wharfs with 10 (fishing shacks), nine were gone.”

Saturday’s gift-giving followed a similar gesture in the Digby, Nova Scotia, area.

Traps were recently donated by Digby fishermen to storm victims on the eastern shore.

AP-ES-10-18-03 1752EDT



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