Saving Seafood

Maine lobstermen insist they are not the ones killing right whales

August 13, 2019 — Lobsterman Charlie Smith has already paid a steep price to protect the right whale, an endangered species that he has never even seen in a long career spent at sea, much less found entangled in his fishing rope.

When the Jonesport lobsterman raises his left hand, it is clear that he has lost the ends of several fingers, ripped off several years ago by a tangle of weighted rope that fishermen were ordered to use in 2009 to protect right whales.

“That’s what happened here to these fingers,” said Smith, holding up his hand, at a National Marine Fisheries Service hearing Monday night. “The rope got all chafed up. There’s all kind of stories from sinking ground line. What comes next?”

About 70 fishermen came to the first fisheries service public meeting in Maine on the latest round of lobster rule changes being considered to protect the endangered whales. They expressed safety fears and their mounting frustration.

The state’s $485 million-a-year lobster industry is facing a federal mandate to lower the number of buoy lines in the Gulf of Maine by 50 percent to protect right whales. Fishermen worry the rules will make their jobs less profitable and more dangerous.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

MASSACHUSETTS: Looking at the lobster double-squeeze

August 7, 2019 — The forklifts didn’t stop for U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton on Tuesday afternoon when the congressman visited a Gloucester lobster wholesaler to talk about the challenges facing the Massachusetts lobster industry. But that didn’t seem to deter the congressman.

As Moulton toured the tank room and docks at the Cape Ann Lobstermen co-op in East Gloucester with co-owner Tessa Browne, the blur of activity continued, the constant beep-beep of forklifts serving as the soundtrack to the discussion on the double-squeeze facing the industry — expanded Chinese and European tariffs internationally and new protections for the North Atlantic right whales here at home.

Moulton asked Browne, who owns and operates the business with her husband Ryan, how much drag the tariffs have created for the lobster dealer. She quickly offered him a palpable example. Moving to the larger of the two lobster tanks, she explained how the bugs were stored by size.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Massachusetts governor signs bill, makes it legal to process lobster in state

August 2, 2019 — It is now legal to process raw, shell-on lobster parts in Massachusetts, the US’s second largest state for landings.

Charlie Baker, the state’s governor, on Wednesday signed the state’s $43.3 billion fiscal 2020 budget bill, which included a provision to end the decades-old prohibition, the Gloucester Daily Times reports.

Under the new measure, which went immediately into effect, wholesale seafood dealers licensed by the state’s Department of Public Health are permitted to process raw lobsters and import raw, shell-on lobster parts and tails. The change also allows for the retail sale of already-frozen raw, in-shell tails, the newspaper explains.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Changing climate boosts Maine lobster industry — for now

August 1, 2019 — Maine’s lobster industry has found itself in something of a climate change sweet spot.

The state’s coastal waters are still cold enough for lobster to thrive, but warming ocean temperatures are now encouraging them to settle here, mate and eventually shed their hard shells.

That’s made the past few years some of the best on record for Maine lobstermen.

But those ideal conditions may be short-lived.

As ocean temperatures rise, lobster populations have been moving steadily north, prompting concerns among politicians, scientists and fishermen that Maine lobster will eventually become Canadian lobster.

Read the full story at The Hill

MASSACHUSETTS: Lobster processing claws its way into law

August 1, 2019 — The long-sought measure to expand and modernize lobster processing regulations in Massachusetts is now law, as of Gov. Charlie Baker’s signature on Wednesday.

Baker, sparing the veto pen, opted to retain the modernized lobster processing regulations in the $43.3 billion state budget for fiscal year 2020, clearing the way for Massachusetts lobster processors to begin in-state transport and processing of raw, shell-on lobster parts.

“We’re elated that the Legislature passed it and the governor signed it into law,” said Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. “This will help the entire Massachusetts lobster industry compete with other states in the region.”

Under the measure, wholesale seafood dealers licensed by the state Department of Public Health will be able to process raw lobsters and import raw, shell-on lobster parts and tails. It also provides for the retail sale of already-frozen raw, in-shell tails.

Previously, Massachusetts laws allowed only the sale of live, cooked and canned lobster, as well as the processing and sale of frozen and cooked lobster tails.

Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times

Lobster Trap Transfer Program for Fishing Year 2020

July 31, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces the continuation of the Lobster Trap Transfer Program for Fishing Year 2020. The Lobster Trap Transfer Program allows permit holders the flexibility to buy and sell trap allocation for Lobster Conservation Management Areas 2, 3, and the Outer Cape.

We are considering future changes to the federal lobster regulations as recommended by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. These changes include the use of a control date to limit the number of traps or lobster permits a federal permit holder can have in Areas 2 and 3.  Any new measures could impact your trap allocations as early as fishing year 2021. We are also discussing potential measures that would minimize threats to North Atlantic right whales. You should stay informed of potential changes, and know that you transfer traps at your own risk and subject to these new potential regulations.

We will accept trap transfer applications for the 2020 fishing year beginning on August 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019. Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received by our office by September 30, 2019. We will process all transfer requests after the trap transfer period has closed and will notify applicants of our decisions by December 31, 2019. Approved trap transfers will become effective on May 1, 2020.

A detailed guide about the transfer program, applications, and individual trap allocations is available under the “Trap Transfer Program” tab on our website.

Read the full release here

Maine’s lobster season has slow start as industry faces challenges

July 30, 2019 — The 2019 lobster season in the U.S. state of Maine has been off to a slow start, partially the result of the industry facing a number of challenges,

According to a story in the Associated Press, Maine lobstermen are reporting that their season so far hasn’t picked up as quickly as the past few years. Typically, the season is in full swing by July, but so far the catch has remained relatively stagnant.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MAINE: Lobstermen’s rally targets lack of science behind right whale rules

July 29, 2019 — A rally designed to draw attention to impending federal regulations that would strike a big blow to the local lobster fishing industry drew hundreds of fishermen, their families and supporters from up and down the coast to the Stonington Commercial Fish Pier.

The rally, organized by Captain Julie Eaton, also drew Governor Janet Mills, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Jared Golden, a representative for former governor Paul LePage and State Senate President Troy Jackson, who spoke alongside lobstermen from Stonington, Winter Harbor and North Haven, Stonington Town Manager Kathleen Billings, Marie Hutchinson of the Island Fishermen’s Wives Association and local students. A representative from Senator Angus King’s office also attended, as did local state representatives.

Read the full story at the Penobscot Bay Press

Maine Voices: Mills’ stand on fishing rules praised by lobster industry

July 29, 2019 — As Executive Director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA), I applaud Gov. Mills’ July 11 Message to Maine’s Lobster Industry acknowledging the federal government’s “disturbing lack of evidence connecting the Maine lobster industry to recent right whale deaths.”

Maine’s lobstermen understand that right whales are at risk and we are committed to being part of the solution. But as Gov. Mills rightly points out, the data show that Maine is just a small part of a complex problem.

Lobstermen recognize that the right whale population will not improve without everyone doing their part to aid in the species’ recovery. However, assigning 60% of the risk to our fishery, which has only one confirmed right whale entanglement dating back to 2002 and zero confirmed serious injuries or mortalities, will not save the species. Maine’s solution must reflect the actual risk Maine lobstermen pose to right whales. We should not be forced to implement changes to achieve an arbitrary goal if those measures won’t realistically help the right whale population recover.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

NOAA Fisheries Announces New Modifications to Gear Requirements and Commercial Management Measures for the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic Spiny Lobster Fishery

July 29, 2019 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGES:

These requirements are for federal waters off Florida and address bully net gear requirements, commercial daily possession limits when using bully nets or diving for the harvest of spiny lobster, and the soak period for spiny lobster traps.

WHEN RULE WILL TAKE EFFECT:

Regulations for commercial trap soak period are effective July 26, 2019. For the 2019/2020 fishing season, commercial spiny lobster traps may be baited and placed in Federal waters beginning Saturday, July 27, 2019.
Regulations for the rest of the rule will be effective August 30, 2019.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES:

  • Spiny lobster commercial harvesters using bully net gear:
    • must have a bully net permit from Florida,
    • must mark buoys with the harvester’s Florida bully net permit number using reflective paint or other reflective material,
    • are prohibited from having trap pullers onboard,
    • are prohibited from the simultaneous possession of a bully net and any underwater breathing apparatus (not including dive masks or snorkels) onboard a vessel used to harvest or transport spiny lobster for commercial purposes.
  • Commercial spiny lobster daily vessel harvest and possession limits:
    • 250 per day/vessel for spiny lobsters harvested by bully net in or from all federal waters off Florida,
    • 250 per day/vessel for spiny lobsters harvested by diving in or from federal waters only off Broward, Dade, Monroe, Collier, and Lee Counties, Florida.
  • Existing language in spiny lobster federal regulations that incorporates Florida regulations by reference has been updated, which includes a new commercial trap soak start time.
    • Commercial spiny lobster traps may be baited and placed in the water beginning on the Saturday immediately following the recreational mini season.

FORMAL FEDERAL REGISTER NAME/NUMBER: FR 2019-16265, will publish on July 31, 2019.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.