From Dock to Dynasty: The Story of Crazy Lobster Limited
If you ever find yourself along the shores of Canso, Nova Scotia, there’s a good chance you’ll see one of Bill Bond’s boats gliding across the early morning waters. The hum of the engine, the slap of salt spray, and the scent of bait in the air are all hallmarks of a life spent at sea—a life Bill has lived for over five decades. His company, Crazy Lobster Limited, might have an unconventional name, but the operation is anything but.
A Lifelong Calling
Fishing isn’t just a business for Bill—it’s part of who he is. “I started fishing smelt and selling them when I was like 13, 14 years old,” he recalls. “I used to go fishing in the morning for a few hours and then come in for school. Then once I finished school I would herring fish in the morning and work nights at the old Canso fish plant.” Growing up in Canso, a tight-knit fishing community on Nova Scotia’s eastern tip, it wasn’t unusual to follow in your family’s footsteps. Bill did exactly that, heading out with his father day after day, gaining experience, and building a deep knowledge of the sea.
Although Bill started out fishing for herring, it wasn’t long before he had secured his first lobster license with his brother. “We bought it from a guy in Whitehead,” he says, marking the moment when a job became a full-fledged career. Over the years, he continued to fish for herring, mackerel, shrimp, but focused mainly on lobster. Today, his operations include two boats, one captained by his daughter’s partner, making the business a true family affair.
Building a Business, One Boat at a Time
Crazy Lobster Limited was officially incorporated just last year, though Bill had operated independently for decades under his own name. The formal structure came as a natural next step in a business that has grown steadily over the years.
A pivotal moment came around 15 years ago when Bill connected with Wanda MacDonald the Guysborough CBDC to finance a new vessel. “I heard about them and I saw that they do business loans—and I definitely have a business,” he explains. “So I went to the CBDC and we sat down, had a little meeting, and then they took it to a board meeting. It was passed.”
That support translated into a roughly $300,000 loan, structured to meet lending regulations. It covered the cost of a new boat built in St. Peter’s. “They’re good to deal with; easy to get along with,” Bill says of the CBDC. “I always called before stopping to make a payment or something like that.” With their help, he paid off the loan in just over six years—well ahead of schedule.
More recently, CBDC supported the purchase of a second boat, expanding the business and creating more local employment. “They were very good to work with,” Bill adds. “If I ever got in trouble, I knew they’d be good to handle it. But so far, no trouble.”
Challenges and Realities
Despite his deep love for fishing—“I always loved it, ever since I was just a little fella,”—Bill is candid about the challenges. Chief among them is the bureaucracy tied to modern fishing regulations. “Now they’re coming out with the e-log,” he explains. “You gotta have either your phone or computer aboard the boat and start logging all your catches.” The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), in his view,
has offloaded many administrative burdens onto fishers. “They don’t wanna be bothered with the paperwork, so now we gotta pay a company to do the data entry for them.”
Technology has changed life aboard, too. “I got a screen there, I can see different angles of my engine. I’ve got the TimeZero plotters, VHF sets, GPS... we try to keep up with what we need to get by,” he says. The boats are smarter and more connected than ever before, but they’re also costlier and require constant upkeep.
The global lobster market also presents its own hurdles. Tariffs, export demands, and pricing fluctuations all impact the bottom line. “It affects everything,” Bill says of recent trade policy turbulence. Still, the catch continues to find its way to international markets, largely through buyers like Fisherman’s Market International in Halifax. “They’ve been down here now for probably 40 years or more,” he notes.
The Road – or Waters – Ahead
For now, Bill remains at the helm—rising before dawn, fishing with a crew that includes close friends and family. In fact, his wife and daughter prepare the bait on a regular basis. But he’s not shy about what’s coming next. “I’m getting too old for these big loans,” he says with a chuckle. When the time is right, he may pass on the license to his young crew member. “If he doesn’t buy a license or something, maybe I’ll end up selling that to him.”
The sea may be unpredictable, but Bill’s legacy is anything but. Through hard work, smart partnerships, and an enduring passion for fishing, Crazy Lobster Limited has become a fixture in Canso—and a success story for rural entrepreneurship on Nova Scotia’s rugged coast.
“Lobster fishing is good here right now,” Bill reflects. “But I’ve been in this racket long enough to see the ups and downs. You gotta be ready for both.”
And ready he is.