Tensions continue to simmer on P.E.I. ahead of the fall lobster season, set to open this week.

Fishermen there are worried about the possibility of low prices, and now, they are also concerned they may be on the hook to pay for lobster trap tags that are currently paid for by the federal government.

As Michael McGeoghegan prepares his boat for the start of the rock crab season, he says he's preoccupied with the upcoming lobster season.

Low prices of American lobster being processed in New Brunswick are creating concerns here.

"Fishermen have to make money, that's why we're fishermen. We can't be doing this for nothing. And that's the bottom line. We have to make money," McGeoghegan said.

Hundreds of fishermen in the southeastern part of New Brunswick blockaded plants processing the lobster from Maine, being purchased for about $2 a pound.

In Miminegash, lobster fishermen have spent the last few days wondering if they'll make any money this season.

Now McGeoghegan is worried the cost of fishing lobsters could climb.

After meeting with Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield two weeks ago, McGeoghegan learned the Department of Fisheries and Oceans might eliminate lobster trap tags.

Importance of trap tags

Currently, lobster fishermen have to tag each trap in the water, so DFO can monitor whom the traps belong to.

The PEI Fishermen's Association says it's an important conservation measure and they might have to pay in order to keep it.

"You'd think you'd talk to the organizations like MFU, or PEI Fishermen's Association, and say 'listen, what do you think of this?' But it wasn't like that, they just dropped it out of the sky on us," McGeoghegan said.

CBC News tried to contact the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, but haven't yet received a response about why the future of the tags is uncertain.

Liberal MP Lawrence MacAuley says it would be appalling if Ottawa ends up downloading the cost and responsibility on local fishermen.

"If it's that important for the government of Canada to cut here, cut and cut and cut, and we end up that we have no industry, sure here the FAs (fishermen's association) quite capable of doing it, but it's not fair to put all this on them," MacAuley said.

"There's other FAs across the Atlantic region. Do they want to do it? Will they do it?"

McGeoghegan says lobster fishermen need to know soon if they'll have to start ordering tags.

The season begins Thursday.