Lobster roll lovers

Calling all lobster lovers! Have you ever tried a lobster roll?

A popular dish in Canada’s Atlantic provinces, a typical lobster roll consists of lobster meat served on a grilled hotdog-style bun. Just add butter, lemon juice, a dash of salt and pepper and you’ve got yourself a delicious summer treat! Oh, and don’t forget to add a side of fries or potato chips!

Lobster season in Canada varies from region to region, but during the peak vacation season, it is often enjoyed by tourists and locals alike in coastal areas, such as Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

In fact, Prince Edward Island is the country’s primary producer of farmed shellfish, accounting for 52.9% of the national total production in 2022. Commercial landings of lobster (live weight, tonnes) in Prince Edward Island increased by 3.2% in 2022 compared with the previous year.

In 2022, sales of farmed shellfish in Canada—which accounted for 9.3% of the total sales of aquaculture products and services—increased 11.8% compared with 2021 to $125.0 million.

In 2021, Prince Edward Island experienced fast growth in real gross domestic product of the fishing, hunting and trapping industry (+9.3%). This was in part attributable to the quantity of live lobster exported internationally, which rose by 45.1% from 2020 to 2021.

From 2020 to 2021, Nova Scotia (+10.8%) and New Brunswick (+1.4%) also saw increases in the quantity of live lobsters exported internationally.

While Atlantic Canada brings delicious lobster and seafood to the table, these dishes are enjoyed across the country. In 2021, households in Canada spent an average of $305 on fish and seafood over the course of the year.

If you happen to be out east this summer, consider trying a lobster roll locally, or try making lobster rolls from home with this lobster roll recipe straight from New Brunswick.