Page 25 - ARUBA TODAY

BUSINESS Monday 23 July 2018
A25

All shell, no shock: Lobster prices strong, season picks up

By PATRICK WHITTLE know it has been dropping,
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — but the price has been
New England's lobster in- decent." Despite the solid
dustry faces big new chal- prices, some in the indus-
lenges in selling to Europe try are concerned about
and China, but the trouble what will happen with the
hasn't caused prices to volume of catch this year.
budge much for American About four-fifths of the na-
consumers. tion's lobster catch comes
The business is in the midst to land in Maine, and the
of its busiest part of the state's haul dropped by
year, when tourists flock about 16 percent, to 110.8
to coastal states with a million pounds (50.3 million
beachside lobster dinner in kilograms), last year.
mind. Summer is also when Catch has been somewhat
prices tend to fall a bit be- slow in Casco Bay, a key
cause it's when the majority lobster fishing area in south-
of lobsters are caught. ern Maine, but there's still a
But the prices haven't fall- lot of fishing left to do this
en much. Retailers are sell- summer, said Steve Train,
ing live lobsters in the $7 to a lobsterman from Long Is-
$12 per pound (per 0.45 land, Maine.
kilogram) range in Maine, "It comes on in fits and
where the American lob- spurts, then a place that
ster industry is based. That's In this Thursday, July 19, 2018 photo, a cooked lobster is served on a picnic table at McLoon's did well dies," he said. "I
not too far behind recent Lobster Shack in Spruce Head, Maine. would say we're well below
summers. Associated Press average."
"It's starting to pick up, so The industry also can't get
of course the price is drop- by China to U.S. seafood pear to be hurting the U.S. stermen catch a lot of soft- too comfortable because
ping. But that's pretty nor- this month, because that business right now, in part shell lobsters, also called the China tariffs represent a
mal," said William Adler, a country is a major lobster because the summer sea- shedders, in the summer, long-term threat. The Maine
lobsterman out of Green buyer. Canada also re- son is more about domestic Porter said. Hard-shell lob- congressional delegation
Harbor, Massachusetts. cently brokered a deal consumption than over- sters are preferable for has called the lobster in-
"Now it's starting to come with the European Union to seas sales, said Kristan Por- shipping because shedders dustry an "irreplaceable
alive, and prices are still remove tariffs on Canadian ter, president of the Maine are less likely to survive the piece of our state's econo-
good right now." lobster exports to Europe, Lobstermen's Association. journey. my that supports thousands
Members of the indus- while the U.S. has no such One of the reasons the tar- "How many shedders go to of jobs" and could be hurt
try are concerned about agreement. iffs aren't affecting lobster China? You can ship them by an escalating trade war
heavy new tariffs applied But the tariffs do not ap- prices in the U.S. is that lob- all you want," Porter said. "I with China.q

Insider Q&A: Being creative about hiring in tight job market

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER The Associated Press spoke day's market. What's win-
AP Economics Writer with McDonald about to- ning is that you're offering
WASHINGTON (AP) — Paul day's job market. employee referral bonuses.
McDonald, senior execu- ___ You're tapping all your net-
tive director at the staffing The 4 percent unemploy- works. You're looking for
firm Robert Half Interna- ment rate is near multi-de- people who maybe could
tional, has seen job mar- cade lows. How would you boomerang back into your
kets of both extremes in his compare this period to oth- company after leaving two
35 years in recruiting: The ers you've experienced? years ago, if they left on
ultra-low unemployment This one seems to be longer- good terms. Another strate-
of the late 1990s, sky-high lasting and more robust. gy we're seeing is part-time
unemployment during the The job gains have been employment for someone
Great Recession and now very consistent over a num- who may have had a life
back to a jobless rate of just ber of months and years. It's event. Maybe they decid-
4 percent. a very good time to look for ed to start a family, they left
McDonald's firm focuses on a job. Companies need to you a couple of years ago This undated photo provided by Robert Half International Inc.
placing professional staffers be on top of their game in and now they would work shows Paul McDonald, senior executive director at the staffing
in such fields as accounting, order to attract talent and part time. Offering remote firm Robert Half International.
finance, technology and retain the talent. opportunities has also been Associated Press
high-end administrative And how are companies a really popular strategy.
work. Unemployment has doing that? How have they Are companies loosening the cultural fit, the soft skills should job-seekers de-
remained low in those fields changed their hiring prac- their skill demands to find ability, the business acu- mand higher pay than they
for years, giving McDonald, tices in this tight job mar- the workers they need? men. And then they train received in their previous
based in Menlo Park, Cali- ket? Maybe they're hiring some- up for the weaknesses that job?
fornia, experience in how It's always about recruit- one with 75 to 80 percent person might have in their The further you stray from
companies — and jobseek- ing. It's not just a "post-and- of the job description. The skill sets. That strategy has your experience, the lower
ers — should proceed in a hope environment." That's mandatory skills are there, been really effective. the expectation should be
tight labor market. a strategy for losing in to- and then they're looking at Given low unemployment, on compensation. q