YARMOUTH, N.S. — Tighter trade measures are on the horizon for Nova Scotian lobster fishermen which will slow their shipment deliveries to the lucrative U.S. markets.

U.S. customs officials want to know who will be driving the forklift and who will be walking by the open truck that will eventually travel across the border to deliver lobster to New England markets this fall.

The world’s largest lobster fishery opens off southwestern Nova Scotia in late November, and will be implementing a new program, the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). This program, introduced only five months ago, will be applied to all fish plants, and is designed to secure the supply chain of imports into the U.S.

Whether or not a 24-hour patrol of fish compounds is necessary is done on a case by case basis, once presented with the situation, customs will decide.

Trucks from companies belonging to the C-TPAT partnership will be able to pass through border crossings with relative ease in a separate lane for pre-cleared vehicles. But companies that aren’t members will likely find their trucks encountering lengthy delays and thorough searches at the border.