MONCTON, N.B. — The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Thursday afternoon that a New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench judge has granted a 10-day injunction to prevent lobster fishermen from blockading fish processing plants in the province.

Protesting New Brunswick fishermen have been pursuing the blockades to prevent delivery of truckloads of cheap Maine lobster from being processed. The fishermen claim they cannot compete with the low price being paid for Maine lobster — $2.50 to $3 a pound — and must receive at least $4 a pound to survive.

According to the office of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the judge agreed to impose a maximum of six picketers at each of the nine locations at any given time and directed that they must be at least 200 feet from the entrance, exit or property of the facilities.

The judge’s decision came in response to court action filed by five New Brunswick processing plants against the Maritime Fishermen’s Union and “persons unknown.”

The injunction is expected to allow lobster shipments from Maine to resume, at least temporarily, while a long-term solution to the conflict is being sought.

The CBC report said New Brunswick fishermen are expected to meet with federal and provincial fisheries ministers on Friday.

Collins and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) have been communicating with U.S. and Canadian officials in an effort to bring an end to the blockades, which have posed a serious threat to a Maine lobster industry that’s been struggling to cope with a glut of soft-shell (shedder) lobsters.

Maine Governor Paul LePage also has requested a meeting on Friday with several Maine lobster processors to discuss the state of the lobster industry.

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