Saving Seafood

Andy Mays Honored with Maine DMR Award of Excellence

March 14, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

Andy Mays a scalloper and lobster fisherman from Southwest Harbor has received the first annual Maine Department of Marine Resources Award of Excellence. The award, presented by DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher during the Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport, recognizes industry members who participate with the Department to ensure a sustainable future for Maine’s commercial fisheries. Mays was honored for his long-term service on DMR advisory councils.

“Through his work on DMR advisory councils over the years, Andy has set an exemplary standard of engagement and active participation for industry. As Commissioner I have come to rely on Andy for his informed, colorfully blunt and straightforward opinions and ideas. His advice and input is always a welcome and valuable contribution to the fisheries management process. There is no one more deserving of this first annual award.”

MHP_3113 Andy Mays DMR Award

(Caption: Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher presents Andy Mays of Southwest Harbor with the first annual Award of Excellence. Photo courtesy of Mark Russell Photography)

MAINE: Lobster license bill hearing is scheduled

AUGUSTA, Maine — January 9, 2016 — A bill that would tweak the state’s commercial lobster license system is scheduled for a public hearing with the legislature’s Marine Resources Committee Feb. 3.

LD 1503, “An Act to Create a Class II Limited Lobster and Crab Fishing License and Improve the Limited-entry System,” was sponsored by Rep. Walter Kumiega (D-Deer Isle) and drafted in consultation with Department of Marine Resources staff. The bill makes some changes to entry into the lobster fishery and other changes to address latent effort (traps and licenses not being actively fished).

Between 2012 and 2014, only two fishermen were issued new licenses off the apprentice program waiting list in Zone B, which includes waters off Mount Desert Island. In that same period, 31 young people received Zone B commercial licenses when they upgraded their student licenses to commercial ones, bypassing the waiting list.

Zone B has a waiting list with 54 names, with the top seven having joined the list in 2005.

“Nobody expected the apprentice waiting lists to get this long,” Southwest Harbor fisherman Andy Mays said. “Once you make it so you can’t get a license, nobody’s gonna get rid of them. That’s why there’s so much latency.”

Read the full story opinion piece from the Mount Desert Islander