TORONTO (AP) — A New Brunswick judge granted a 10-day injunction Thursday to stop lobster fishermen in the Canadian province from blockading fish processing plants in a protest over cheap lobster from Maine.

Dave MacLean, a spokesman for the New Brunswick's Justice Department and the Attorney General, said the judge granted the injunction sought by the processing plants.

Canadian lobstermen say the low price of Maine lobsters is driving down prices in Canada and stealing their livelihood.

The flare-up came to a head last week when fishermen held demonstrations in Cap-Pele and Shediac, preventing trucks from delivering Maine lobsters to three processors. The demonstrations spilled over into Prince Edward Island, where at least two lobster processors agreed to stop processing Maine product.

New Brunswick Premier David Alward said his province and Maine have a great history of trade but said this has become a major irritant.

"It's small number of fishermen that have been causing the disruptions," Alward said in a telephone interview. "It's very unfortunate and unacceptable what these fishermen have done. There is an injunction that has been brought forward today. I hope to and expect to see a more reasonable flow of lobster moving forward in the coming days."

Alward said the sides need to negotiate a solution.