Saving Seafood

MAINE: Maine leaders urge retailers not to pull lobsters from cases

November 29, 2022 — Maine’s political leaders are trying to avert a nationwide boycott of American lobster over the industry’s potential impact on critically endangered north Atlantic right whales.

Whole Foods recently announced it will stop selling lobster caught in the Gulf of Maine at hundreds of its retail stores across the country. The company cited concerns raised by sustainability groups, including the Marine Stewardship Council, which has withdrawn its endorsement of the U.S. lobster industry.

The move prompted a terse response from Gov. Janet Mills and members of Maine’s congressional delegation, who criticized the decision, and urged national retailers not to pull lobsters from their cases.

Read the full article at The Center Square

MAINE: Maine Political Leaders Slam Blacklisting of Lobster Fishery

November 28, 2022 — Lobster is a traditional holiday dish in the U.S., but this year, it will be slightly harder to find in the supermarket. Multiple high-end retailers, including HelloFresh, Blue Apron and Whole Foods, have stopped carrying the iconic Maine lobster because it has been removed from the Marine Stewardship Council’s sustainable-seafood list – much to the ire of local lobstermen and Maine’s political leadership.

According to fisheries scientists, vertical-leading lobster/crab pot retrieval lines are among the leading causes of injury and death for the endangered North Atlantic right whale, along with ship strikes. There are about 364 of the whales left, and the survival of the species is now down to the survival of each individual – especially the 88 identified females of breeding age.

After a recent court decision that found that NOAA Fisheries is doing too little to protect North Atlantic right whales, a regional assessor for the Marine Stewardship Council initiated a review of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery. On November 16, it decided to re-suspend the fishery’s certification for the second time in two years, effective December 15.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

Whole Foods Decision to Pull Maine Lobster From Stores Once Again Divides Politicians and Sustainability Groups

November 28, 2022 — Environmental groups are once again at odds with politicians and fishermen in New England in the wake of a decision by high-end retail giant Whole Foods to stop selling Maine lobster.

Whole Foods recently said that it will stop selling lobster from the Gulf of Maine at hundreds of its stores around the country. The company cited decisions by a pair of sustainability organizations to take away their endorsements of the U.S. lobster fishing industry.

The organizations, Marine Stewardship Council and Seafood Watch, both cited concerns about risks to rare North Atlantic right whales from fishing gear. Entanglement in gear is one of the biggest threats to the whales.

Read the full article at NECN

MAINE: Maine’s leaders welcome pause on whale protection rules

November 22, 2022 — Maine’s leaders are welcoming a court-imposed two year delay of federal whale protection rules that are expected to impact the state’s lucrative lobster industry.

In a ruling issued last Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg said new fisheries rules aimed at protecting critically endangered North Atlantic right whales will be delayed until December 2024, to give the federal government additional time to design them.

The delay was welcomed news to Maine’s political leaders, who have argued the new rules would be devastating to the state’s storied lobster industry.

Read the full article at The Center Square

Whole Foods to ‘pause’ sales of Maine lobster after sustainable label downgrades

November 22, 2022 — The grocery chain Whole Foods will stop purchasing Gulf of Maine lobster after the Marine Stewardship Council suspended the fishery’s certification last week.

The Marine Stewardship Council suspended the fishery’s certification last week, only months after the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program red-listed the lobster because of risks to endangered North Atlantic right whales. The MSC says its decision was based on an independent audit of the fishery’s risk to the whales.

Read the full article at Maine Public

Right rules should be based on science to protect whales and lobstermen

October 10, 2022 — In recent weeks, Maine’s lobster industry has faced a series of unexpected challenges. Lobstermen, along with Gov. Janet Mills and the state’s congressional delegation, were outraged about a warning from an environmental group that urged consumers not to buy lobsters from Maine because of the risk the fishery poses to endangered North Atlantic right whales.

This red-listing was followed by news from federal regulators that they planned to place further restrictions on lobster harvesting much sooner than expected. They planned to do so with no meetings in Maine, which is home to the vast majority of the nation’s lobster fishermen. Mills and the state’s congressional delegation successfully lobbied for a meeting here, which was held Wednesday night in Portland. They are now asking for another meeting in Downeast Maine.

That anger was apparent at the session held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Read the full article at Bangor Daily News

MAINE: Local fishermen voice frustration in public meeting with NOAA

October 7, 2022 — Mainers had a chance to voice their opinion on how the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) should modify its plan to protect whales. Many from the coastal and fishing community traveled for this meeting.

Gov. Janet Mills, Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Angus King, Rep. Jared Golden, Rep. Chellie Pingree, and former Gov. Paul LePage spoke or had someone speak on their behalf.

Read the full article at WMTW

Federal officials confronted by Maine lobstermen, leaders over rules to protect whales

October 7, 2022 — Frustration and anger from Maine lobstermen and elected leaders is being directed at federal regulators.

It happened at the only in-person meeting with federal officials about proposed rules to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

More than 500 people packed into a USM auditorium as they hoped to tell NOAA exactly how they feel about these rules.

“This is about wiping us off the map,” said one person early into the public comment section of the meeting.

Read the full article at Fox 23

MAINE: ‘You have failed us’: Maine lobstermen face federal regulators over new rules

October 7, 2022 — There were some tense moments during a public hearing with Maine lobstermen and federal regulators Wednesday night at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

The meeting comes after Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) and members of Maine’s congressional delegation requested the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) visit the state to discuss tougher rules on the lobster industry.

“Our goal is to implement the approaches under the law to comply with the law in ways that have the least effect on fishing communities,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit said.

The new regulations include increasing zone closures and limits on traps and vertical lines.

They are all part of an increased effort to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale from getting entangled in fishing gear.

Read the full article News Center Maine