Lobster Trap wins Dafoe book prize

Ben Sigurdson By: Ben Sigurdson Posted:

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Greg Mercer’s The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink has won the 2026 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize.

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Greg Mercer’s The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink has won the 2026 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize.

The $12,000 award, named after John Wesley Dafoe, the former editor of the Manitoba Free Press and Winnipeg Free Press, is presented annually to the best book on topics including “Canada, the West, and Canadians, as well as the Canadian nation in international affairs.”

Published by McClelland & Stewart in August 2025, The Lobster Trap examines the multi-billion dollar lobster industry and the impacts of climate change, trade wars and overfishing. The Lobster Trap is Mercer’s first book.

The Lobster Trap

The Lobster Trap

Buy on mcnallyrobinson.com

The award will be presented later this fall.

Ben Sigurdson

Ben Sigurdson
Literary editor, drinks writer

Ben Sigurdson edits the Free Press books section, and also writes about wine, beer and spirits.

   Read full biography

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Ben Sigurdson

Ben Sigurdson
Literary editor, drinks writer

Ben Sigurdson edits the Free Press books section, and also writes about wine, beer and spirits.

   Read full biography

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

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Greg Mercer’s The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink has won the 2026 J.W. Dafoe Book Prize.

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