by Marc Laframboise, MMNN Contributor

The Micmacs of Gesgapegiag, a community of 700 people who call the Gaspé Peninsula home, are proving that innovative thinking and diversification of their commercial fishery enterprise (CFE) are an excellent combination for success. Their wise business approach has led to the creation of a chain of businesses including a growing retail seafood operation.

In the spring of 2015, we reported that the community had just finalized a business arrangement allowing them to lease a live seafood holding system. These specialized tanks now have a storage capacity of 35,000 pounds of live lobster. A strong proportion of these lobsters are sold at the wholesale level in great volume to local buyers. However, a growing amount is being sold to through Gesgapegiag First Nation’s wholly-owned retail lobster store called the Lobster Hut.

The community’s diversification program is working very well. The lobster that is contained in the storage tanks is supplied by the community’s commercial fishermen. The trucks that transport the live lobsters to bulk buyers and to the Lobster Hut are owned and operated by the community.

The Lobster Hut, which opened in June, 2014, has seen sales skyrocket since then. The seasonal business saw revenue increases of 30 percent in 2016. Snow crab and shrimp, also harvested by the community’s close to 30 fishers are also sold at the Lobster Hut. Business has been so good that the Micmacs of Gesgapegiag Band now plans to expand the ...