The legal harvesting size for lobsters is increasing for fishermen in the western half of the Northumberland Strait.
The 470 New Brunswick license holders affected will have to comply with new federal regulations increasing the size by 1 millimetre this year to 73.
Gradual increases over the next few years will lead to a minimum harvest size of 77 millimetres by 2018.
Provincial Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet says bigger lobsters means better prices for fishermen, and processors.
As well, larger lobsters should increase egg production which will improve the sustainability of the stock for the future.
This change applies to Lobster Fishing Area 25, which covers parts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
