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Exhibiting at Seafood Expo North America 2025

Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts
16 Mar - 18 Mar, 2025

Media Gallery

Inside Prince Edward Island's Celebrated Tradition

Lobster Boil on Prince Edward Island

Product Offerings

Product Categories:

Fish and Seafood Products, Seafood

Products:

Fresh PEI Lobster: Live, Cooked, Frozen, Canned

Product Gallery:

Premium Quality Marine Stewardship Council Certified Sustainable Lobster

Premium Quality Marine Stewardship Council Certified Sustainable Lobster

Lobster PEI is the official marketing board representing over 1,200 independent lobster harvesters from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. Based in Charlottetown, Lobster PEI plays a central role in the promotion, education, and global market expansion of sustainably harvested, wild Atlantic lobster from PEI’s pristine coastal waters.

Core Mission and Offerings

Lobster PEI’s core mission is to:

  • Promote the premium quality of PEI lobster through national and international marketing initiatives
  • Support the economic sustainability of the local fishing communities
  • Educate consumers, retailers, chefs, and distributors about the unique characteristics of PEI lobster

While not a direct supplier, Lobster PEI serves as the industry voice and connects buyers with licensed processors and harvesters across the island. It helps promote a variety of lobster product forms including:

  • Live Lobster
  • Cooked Lobster
  • Frozen Lobster (raw or cooked)
  • Canned Lobster Meat

These products are widely exported and distributed throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Unique Selling Proposition

PEI lobster is celebrated for its:

  • Superior meat-to-shell ratio due to the colder North Atlantic waters
  • Sweet, firm texture owing to its hard shell during the peak harvest seasons
  • Harvesting from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a nutrient-rich environment fostering healthy, flavorful lobster
  • Strict adherence to conservation-based harvesting methods that protect marine biodiversity

Industry Scale and Economic Impact

According to data from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO):

  • PEI harvesters caught approximately 17 million pounds of lobster in the 2022 season
  • Lobster represents over 70% of the total value of PEI’s seafood sector
  • Contributes more than $250 million CAD annually to the island’s economy
  • Supports 1,200+ harvesters and hundreds more in processing, shipping, and distribution

The PEI lobster fishery operates under two main seasons (LFA 24 & LFA 26A), aligning with conservation schedules to ensure resource sustainability.

Target Markets

Lobster PEI actively promotes lobster across key international markets:

  • North America: Foodservice distributors, grocery chains, specialty seafood retailers
  • Europe: Particularly France, Italy, and Belgium—where demand for hard-shell lobster is strong
  • Asia: High-end hospitality and foodservice channels in Japan, South Korea, and China

The board frequently attends global seafood trade shows, such as Seafood Expo North America (Boston) and Seafood Expo Global (Barcelona), to build international awareness and facilitate trade connections.

Sustainability and Certifications

PEI’s lobster fishery operates under one of the world’s most sustainable fisheries management regimes, including:

  • Mandatory trap limits and biodegradable escape mechanisms
  • Limited entry licensing
  • Daily haul regulations and seasonal closures
  • Strict minimum and maximum size limits

In recognition of its practices, the PEI lobster fishery is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified, which assures global buyers of traceability, sustainability, and eco-friendly harvesting.

Community Engagement and Education

Lobster PEI engages in:

  • Consumer education campaigns like #AskForPEILobster and “From Trap to Table” digital initiatives
  • Partnerships with culinary institutions and chefs to highlight PEI lobster in recipes and media
  • Regional tourism and hospitality events such as the PEI International Shellfish Festival

These efforts aim to reinforce the cultural and economic significance of lobster fishing in PEI communities.

Achievements

  • Successfully led a digital rebranding campaign that increased PEI lobster’s online visibility by over 300% between 2020–2022
  • Built export connections with over 30 global distributors and processors
  • Collaborated with government agencies to improve traceability and eco-labeling for PEI lobster exports
  • Developed interactive traceability platforms to help consumers track lobster back to the harvester and port of origin

Lobster PEI continues to be a champion of responsible fishing and premium seafood marketing, helping to elevate the global perception of PEI lobster while supporting the livelihoods of local coastal communities.