July 23, 2019 — Massachusetts — the second-largest US state when it comes to lobster landings — is now just a governor’s signature away from allowing the processing of unfrozen lobsters within the state and also the import of unfrozen shell-on lobster parts.
The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate on Monday adopted a $43.1 billion annual budget for fiscal year 2020 that — more importantly to the state’s lobster industry — includes language that removes prohibitions against the sale of anything other than whole lobsters, cooked or uncooked, in the state.
The decades-old law, which also allowed meat to be sold canned or at restaurants, was originally advocated for by ocean conservationists who wanted to stop trawling vessels from bringing up and selling broken lobsters, explained Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association (MLA). The law has long outlived its usefulness, as other rules prevent harvesters from landing broken lobsters, she said.
Massachusetts is the US’ second-largest source of lobster, accounting for about 11% of the catch, while Maine is responsible for 83%. In 2018, Massachusetts’ 720 lobster harvesters landed close to 18 million pounds, Casoni said, though final figures have yet to be tallied.