Saving Seafood

MAINE: Fishing industry grapples with state’s offshore wind array plan

December 18, 2020 — The state’s plan to install an array of wind-energy turbines off Maine’s southern coast for research purposes has prompted concerns among fishermen.

“You’re shutting down habitat that we fish now so you’ll be displacing a lot of guys who are fishing out there,” said Portland lobster fisherman John Bisnette.

His observations came during an informational webinar hosted Tuesday by the Governor’s Energy Office and the Maine Department of Marine Resources. The Governor’s Energy Office is the lead agency in the array’s development. The webinar was one of three the agency was holding this week and next to get input from the fishing industry about potential siting and impacts of the array.

“The state has initiated a collaborative process that gives fishermen and other stakeholders direct influence in the development of the proposed project,” according to the meeting announcement.

Read the full story at MaineBiz

If you recently bought Maine seafood online, 2020 might be the reason why

December 16, 2020 — Though 2020 will be remembered for many things, it also may be remembered as the year when online, direct-to-consumer sales of Maine seafood took off.

In a year that saw continued wrangling over foreign trade agreements — which hampered overseas sales of Maine lobster, the state’s dominant seafood product — and a severe drop in restaurant sales due to precautions aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, many seafood harvesters and producers have sought to connect directly with consumers to stay afloat.

A new marketing initiative launched this month by the state — created with $1 million in COVID-19 federal relief funds — is the latest effort geared toward making it easier for consumers to buy Maine seafood directly from distributors and retailers. A website borne of that initiative, SeafoodfromMaine.com, follows suit with other sites such as Localcatch.org and Lukeslobster.com that aim to connect consumers and sellers directly online, or to guide consumers to retailers that sell locally sourced seafood.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

Two new promotions seek to shore up Maine’s seafood industry

December 15, 2020 — Two new initiatives are underway to support Maine’s seafood industry through the downturn it has experienced this year.

The state has launched a promotion aimed at home cooks, who have been one of the bright spots for seafood sales this year.

And on Dec. 16, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland will hold “Split the Seafood Bill Day,” an initiative that will cover half the cost of meals that include seafood sourced from the Gulf of Maine at any of 20 participating restaurants for the first 200 diners.

The Maine Department of Marine Resources, with support from Gov. Janet Mills, launched the branding and promotion initiative last week with a $1 million investment from $20 million in CARES Act relief funds allocated for Maine’s commercial fishing and seafood industry.

The largest wholesale markets for Maine seafood traditionally include restaurants and food service. With those industries shut down or sharply curtailed, marketing shifted to retail sales aimed at home cooks.

Read the full story at MaineBiz

Lobstermen Raise Concerns Over Proposed Regulations to Protect Endangered Whales

December 10, 2020 — The state is asking for public feedback on new rules to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from entanglement in fishing gear.

At a public hearing on Tuesday, the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries (DMF) shared its recommendations to extend a seasonal commercial-gear closure to areas north and east of the Cape from February 1 through April 30.

Dan McKiernan, DMF director, also explained new requirements for vertical buoy lines that would mandate that they break apart when exposed to 1,700 pounds of pressure.

“A recent study by the New England Aquarium on whale entanglement showed ropes with low breaking strength can reduce serious injury and mortality by at least 72 percent,” he said.  “Cooperative research with commercial lobsterman has demonstrated that ropes of these breaking strength are strong enough in most cases to allow for the successful hauling of lobster gear.

“In essence,” he said, “this research and proposal tried to hit the sweet spot for a line that is safe for the industry and beneficial for right whales.”

Read the full story at CAI

Some unemployed Maine residents to get one-time $600 payment

December 9, 2020 — Some Maine residents who are unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic will receive a one-time payment of $600, Gov. Janet Mills’ administration said Wednesday.

Mills, a Democrat, said the payments are part of the state’s new Pandemic Relief Program and they are intended to assist unemployed people in Maine who might lose federal unemployment benefits at the end of the month. Mills and other Maine leaders have called on the federal government to extend unemployment benefits nationwide.

The payments will go to self-employed people, people who are sole proprietors and other business owners who are unemployed and losing federal benefits this month, Mills said.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

More than 2,000 Maine fishermen to get coronavirus aid by Jan. 1

December 9, 2020 — More than 2,000 Maine fishermen are expected to receive federal coronavirus aid before the end of the year, the state’s top fisheries officials said Tuesday.

The state received 2,700 applications for the aid, which will total $19 million, Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher said. Some 2,100 will receive direct payouts before Jan. 1, he said.

The remaining 600 applicants are still in the auditing process, Keliher said. The aid was made available for commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, fishing charter operators and seafood dealers and processors who suffered losses due to the pandemic.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Bangor Daily News

Maine Department of Marine Resources Launches New Maine Seafood Brand Initiative

December 9, 2020 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), with support from Governor Janet Mills, is launching a branding and promotion initiative to celebrate Maine Seafood and to help consumers find and enjoy it in the comfort and safety of their home.

While rapidly changing seafood markets due to the coronavirus pandemic have posed challenges for seafood producers, retail seafood sales are up 35 percent compared to last year according to market research company Information Resources, Inc.

With $1,000,000 of the $20 million CARES Act relief funds allocated by NOAA for Maine’s commercial fishing and seafood industry, the Maine Seafood branding and promotion initiative will help this growing population of home-bound seafood enthusiasts discover the superior taste, quality and variety of seafood from Maine.

“Like producers across the globe, Maines seafood industry continues to face the challenge of rapidly changing markets,” said Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “But this challenge also presents an opportunity. The Gulf of Maines cold, clean water is home to a wide variety of premium seafood products that are easy to prepare. The Maine Seafood branding and promotion initiative will help consumers learn about, find, and prepare Maine Seafood in their own kitchens.”

Maine’s seafood dealers and processors take great pride in delivering a variety of premium seafood products including inspired ready-to-cook offerings that take the worry out of meal preparation. Maine harvesters and aquaculturists are committed to responsible harvesting, cultivation, and handling practices, protecting both food quality and the marine environment.

“With more Maine people cooking from home, we have an opportunity to support Maines seafood industry by promoting the premium products we produce here at home,” said Governor Mills. “This initiative will support a vital sector of our states economy and connect consumers with high-quality seafood produced in the U.S. at a critical time.”

“When choosing Maine Seafood, consumers can trust that their seafood products, from shellfish to seaweed and halibut to haddock will be the highest quality, best tasting seafood on earth,” said Commissioner Keliher.

The initiative will emphasize the attributes that distinguish Maine Seafood, including the premium nature of the products, the pristine marine environment of the north Atlantic Ocean, and the industry’s passion for quality. A Maine Seafood website will feature a directory of Maine Seafood suppliers as well as inspired recipe ideas that make enjoying a Maine Seafood experience at home easy. Blog posts from influential food writers will drive consumer appreciation and demand for Maine Seafood. Social media accounts will allow foodies across the world to connect around their shared love of Maine Seafood. As the initiative moves forward, assets will be developed to support the industrys own marketing efforts. For a directory of Maine Seafood suppliers and easy, inspiring holiday and delicious holiday recipe inspiration visit www.SeafoodfromMaine.com.

Maine Department of Marine Resources launches seafood branding effort

December 9, 2020 — The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) has launched a new marketing effort intended to promote the state’s seafood products through a branding effort to boost sales for the industry.

The new launch establishes a seafood brand for the Northeast U.S. state, using USD 1 million (EUR 825,527) of the state’s allocated USD 20 million (EUR 16.5 million) in CARES Act relief funding. The initiative will emphasize the qualities distinguishing Maine seafood, and will use multiple media channels to reach food-oriented audiences, according to the Maine DMR.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

International consortium created to study the white shark

December 7, 2020 — Shark research groups and government agencies in the United States and Canada announced Tuesday the establishment of an organization that will unite over a dozen agencies to collaboratively study the white shark.

The New England White Shark Research Consortium joins organizations and universities in Massachusetts—such as the New England Aquarium and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth—with researchers in Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Arizona and Canada.

The group has two primary goals: advance researchers’ current understanding of the white shark, and enhance public education and safety within the region.

Gregory Skomal, the senior fisheries scientist for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (which is a consortium member), said the fatal shark attack of a 63-year-old woman off the coast of Maine this summer prompted the creation of the consortium.

“It really pointed to a need for us to coordinate research here in New England,” Skomal said, noting many people were surprised by the location of the attack even though researchers knew white sharks are historically found in Maine waters.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Lobster stock levels remain high in Gulf of Maine, but future issues cause concern

December 4, 2020 — When it comes to availability of their catch, the “now” looks solid for local commercial lobster fishermen, based on findings reported in the 2020 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment. The assessment reported the stock at “record high abundance levels” in the Gulf of Maine. The good news continued: “Stock projections conducted as part of the assessment suggested a low probability of abundance declining below the abundance target over the next 10 years.” The Gulf of Maine lobster fishery now accounts for 90 percent of U.S. lobster landings, and, overall, landings increased fivefold in Maine from 1982 to when they peaked in 2016.

The outlook for southern New England remained poor, with a depleted fishery and no signs of resurgence. The research was conducted by several organizations, including the Department of Marine Resources, Gulf of Maine Research Institute and the University of Maine’s Sea Grant program and Lobster Institute. The assessment, released in October, was based on surveys conducted from 2016 through 2018.

However, once the research turns to the number of juvenile lobster settling on the sea floor, the future looks more uncertain.

“There’s this really puzzling disconnect between the surging numbers of lobsters we’ve been seeing over the past decade and the decline in larval settlement that we’ve seen,” said Richard Wahle, director of The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine.

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander