Saving Seafood

In Maine’s last open lobster zone, a feud over limiting newcomers

May 25, 2016 — In most of Maine, adults who want to make their living trapping lobster must wait until a licensed lobsterman dies or forgets to file a license renewal.

There is only one place in the state, in the waters of eastern Penobscot Bay off Stonington, Vinalhaven and Isle au Haut, where a resident who completes the necessary training and safety classes can get a license to lobster without waiting for at least a decade. But the lobstermen who oversee Maine’s last open lobster territory are now fighting over whether to cap the number of lobstermen who can fish those waters, effectively closing the last open door to the state’s largest commercial fishery.

The debate is pitting islanders who worry that a cap would eliminate an incentive for adult children to return home against mainland fishermen who want to protect this lucrative industry from outside exploitation. After years of debate, the local lobster council has tried to put the issue to a vote twice before, but the meetings have fallen through, with members missing meetings or walking out moments before a closure vote could be held.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Maine Department of Marine Resources Announces Lobster Research and Education Awards

May 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Department of Marine Resources has announced four grant awards from the Research, Education and Development fund. The four organizations receiving funding include the Penobscot East Resource Center, the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance, University of Maine System, and Colby College. Each responded to a request for proposal issued in December 2015.

The Penobscot East Resource Center (PERC) will receive $37,500 to develop four lobster curriculum units for its Eastern Maine Skippers Program (ESMP), an educational initiative for high school students planning a career in Maine’s lobster fishing industry. Two units will cover lobster fisheries management and two will target science and life history. PERC, a Deer Isle-based non-profit, will engage industry experts including fishermen, dealers, advocates, managers and scientists in the development and implementation of the curriculum units.

The Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance will be awarded $37,500 to build on the success of its Maine Lobstermen’s Leadership Institute (MLLI). Begun in 2014, the MLLI provides education for Maine’s lobster industry members. Participants in the MLLI program will complete three training modules. They will include a workshop on industry issues such as management, science, market and supply chain dynamics, and product quality. There will also be modules that provide opportunities for experiential learning and information exchange with fisheries participants outside of Maine.

The University of Maine System will receive $127,482 to develop a research project titled “A Proactive Approach to Addressing Lobster Health in the Context of a Changing Ecosystem.” Focus of the University of Maine System’s project will be on the changing ocean ecosystem and how these changes can impact lobster reproductive development and susceptibility to disease. An objective of the project is to develop the ability to respond rapidly to reports of shell disease in lobsters.

Colby College will receive $81,657 to conduct an analysis of economic impacts at each point along the supply chain in Maine’s lobster industry. The analysis will not only quantify the direct and indirect economic impacts of the industry throughout the supply chain, but also the induced effects on Maine’s economy of spending by industry workers. Project research will involve confidential surveys of Maine’s lobster dealers and processors as well as analysis of existing Maine Department of Marine Resources and Department of Labor data.

“These projects will help sustain Maine’s iconic lobster fishery by fostering a new generation of educated and engaged fishermen, by improving our understanding of the complex marine environment, and by refining our ability to measure the impacts of the lobster industry on Maine’s economy,” said Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher.

With revenues from the sale of Maine lobster plates, the Research Education and Development Board provides funding for projects that support Maine’s lobster industry.

MICHAEL CONATHAN: Maine lobsters deserve their premium price

May 23, 2016 — The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative’s study that found restaurants charge over $6 more per plate for lobster from Maine (“Report: Diners shell out more when menu says the lobster’s from Maine,” May 4) is a ringing endorsement of the theory that diners value the sustainability and purity of our state’s signature product and the ethic of the men and women who provide it.

Yet in order for the industry to capitalize on its well-deserved premium price, it must ensure that imposter lobsters are not masquerading as Mainers.

Read the full opinion piece at the Portland Press Herald

New Marine Patrol Officers to Join the Ranks

May 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

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Two new Marine Patrol Officers have joined the ranks after graduating today from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s 18-week Basic Law Enforcement Training Program. After today’s graduation ceremony, Marine Patrol Officer Kenneth Conley (pictured second from left) and Marine Patrol Officer Michael Hendry (second from right) were sworn in by Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher (right). Colonel Jonathan Cornish (left) spoke prior to the swearing in ceremony offering words of encouragement and congratulations. After an additional 45-day Marine Patrol field training program, Officer Conley will begin serving in the Kittery Patrol while Officer Hendry will be serving in the Lubec patrol.

 

Maine Marine Patrol Urges Safety Heading into Recreational Boating Season

May 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

May 21 to 27 is National Safe Boating Week, and the Maine Marine Patrol wants to remind recreational boaters to stay safe while enjoying Maine’s waters.

“This summer, thousands of boaters will spend time with friends and family on Maine’s coastal waters, rivers and lakes,” said Maine Marine Patrol Colonel Jon Cornish. “As we near Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the boating season, we want to remind people about safe boating practices.”

In Maine, all children 10 and under must wear a life jacket. Adults don’t have to wear them but they must be available on board for every occupant. “Life jackets do save lives,” said Colonel Cornish. “If you end up in the water unconscious for some reason, a properly-fitting life jacket will keep you afloat, which is especially important this time of the year when the water is still very cold. Life jackets should be looked over to make sure they are serviceable and have no rips, tears, broken straps or snaps that could make them ineffective.

“Before your first day on the water, go over your vessel and make sure you have proper safety equipment on your boat,” said Colonel Cornish. “In addition to life jackets, safe boaters should have working navigation lights, visual distress signals, sound signalling devices, VHF radio, cell phone, proper ventilation, and properly displayed registration numbers. A thorough check of fire extinguishers and flares should be done to make sure they’re in working order.

“It’s also a good time to take a boating safety course,” said Colonel Cornish. “The US Power Squadrons, a non-profit, educational organization that offers classes in seamanship, navigation and related subjects, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary both offer excellent public boating courses.”

Boaters should also be sure to file a float plan with a friend or relative. “It’s important to let someone know where you are going and your approximate time of return,” said Colonel Cornish. “Always make sure you check the local marine forecast before heading out on Maine’s coastal waters.

Another important safety issue to consider is drinking and boating. According to the most recent Coast Guard statistics, alcohol was the leading contributing factor in deadly boating accidents.

“People should be aware that the Marine Patrol has zero tolerance for boating under the influence,” explained Colonel Cornish.  “Alcohol use can be even more dangerous in a marine environment than on land. The motion, vibration, engine noise, sun, wind, and spray all accelerate and increase a drinker’s impairment. A boater becomes fatigued more quickly than a driver, which leads to a decline in the boater’s coordination, judgment, and reaction time, especially when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“Boaters under the influence are just like motorists under the influence – and we are going to prosecute those people who make the waters unsafe for the rest of us,” stated Colonel Cornish.

“The Marine Patrol will be working throughout the coming months to make sure boaters stay safe on Maine’s coastal waters.”

Seafood, bioscience get boost from latest Maine tech grants

May 20, 2016 — PORTLAND, Maine — The city of Ellsworth has landed a state grant to support development of bioscience businesses in the region, as part of a series of grant awards that will also give money to support seafood industry initiatives.

The Maine Technology Institute announced Thursday that it awarded $658,765 through its Cluster Initiative Program, aimed at studying or implementing ways to support or grow certain industries in the state.

The state-financed economic development agency awarded $398,306 to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to advance its study of creating a market and supply chain for sustainable seafood in Maine.

The latest grant round also delivered $134,189 to Coastal Enterprises Inc.’s Maine Scallop Aquaculture Project, which MTI said aims to study the Japanese scallop aquaculture industry and explore how to adapt them to Maine waters.

Read the full story at Bangor Daily News

Maine Marine Patrol Receives Prestigious National Accreditation

May 20, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

The Maine Marine Patrol has earned accreditation from the leading national safety organization for boat operations and training. The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) recently recognized the Marine Patrol for complying with its national standard of readiness for law enforcement and emergency response boat crews in the United States.

The Maine Marine Patrol became the thirteenth organization in the country to implement this standard in all aspects of their operations and training.

“This is a prestigious accreditation that recognizes the Maine Marine Patrol’s commitment to the highest standards of operation,” said Colonel Jon Cornish.

The Boat Operations and Training (BOAT) Program, established by NASBLA, is recognized by the US Coast Guard as the national standard for training and boat operation. “Agencies that choose to adopt this standard assure their ability to conduct missions on the nation’s waterways safely and effectively, and to operate seamlessly with federal, state, county, tribal and local maritime partners,” said Colonel Cornish.

Areas evaluated included training, documentation, safety and first aid, knowledge of knots and terminology, common crew tasks on large and small vessels, use of police and VHF radio, navigation, and operation of the Protector class patrol vessel, an extremely maneuverable rigid hull inflatable boat often used in search and rescue operations.

“I’m extremely proud of our Officers, Sergeants and Lieutenants for their adherence to this nationally recognized standard of operation,” said Colonel Cornish. “Coordinated by Sergeant Matt Talbot, the evaluation process to achieve this certification was extremely thorough. I appreciate Sergeant Talbot’s dedication to ensure that the Maine Marine Patrol achieved this important certification.”

“The citizens of Maine and of this country can be assured that this agency and its officers are true force multipliers and capable of inter-agency operations within our maritime homeland security and recreational boating safety framework,” said Mark R. Dupont, NASBLA’s Director of Boat Operations and Training.

Elvers and out: Fishing season likely to end early

May 18, 2016 — Last year, legislative haggling delayed the start of the elver fishing season, cold weather delayed the arrival of elvers in Maine streams and by the time the season closed at the end of May harvesters still had not landed the total allowable quota of baby eels.

This year, the season was extended for a week to give the fishermen a better shot of filling their quotas, but the elvers paid no heed to the extension and were among the earliest snowbirds returning to Maine. One result of their early arrival is that it is likely that the Department of Marine Resources will shut the fishing season down several weeks early because the federally mandated annual harvest quota has been filled.

Two years ago, at the behest of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the state adopted a statewide 9,688-pound overall landings quota for the elver fishery. The Legislature further allocated that quota among harvesters licensed by DMR and harvesters from each of the state’s four recognized Indian tribes.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

MAINE: Harvest Season for Biggest US Producer of Baby Eels Wraps Up

May 17, 2016 — PORTLAND, Maine — The nation’s biggest producer of valuable baby eels is nearing the close of a much more productive harvesting season.

The state’s baby eels, called elvers or glass eels, are a major fishery because they are prized by aquaculture companies and demand for them is high. Fishermen in Maine, the only state with a significant elver fishery, are allowed to catch about 9,700 pounds of the elvers every spring.

Fishermen are within 900 pounds of the quota, and the elvers have sold for about $1,450 per pound this year — less than last year’s record of nearly $2,200, but easily enough for a greater total value.

Asian aquaculture companies buy the elvers to use as seed stock so they can be raised to maturity and used as food, including sushi, some of which comes back to America.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at Food Manufacturing

At ‘Lobster Hack,’ crowd takes in-depth look at building a better lobster trap

May 16, 2016 — Drop a lobster pot in front of a bunch of problem solvers, mix in a handful of fishermen, add some craft beer and what do you get?

The organizers of Drink Tank, a recreational think tank that calls itself a party with a purpose, were hoping for enough collaboration and creativity to make a better lobster trap.

“Everyone associates lobster with Maine, but very few people know how the whole process works,” said Drink Tank co-founder Kate Garmey. “Everybody knows the lobster trap, or has at least seen a buoy, so it’s something we’re all familiar with, but the mechanics of it are a little more mysterious. … So it is an opportunity to learn something. Once you learn all the pain points and all the issues that lobstermen have, it’s really interesting to think about, ‘How could we make that better?’”

Zach Whitener, who grew up lobstering and now works at Gulf of Maine Research Institute, told the crowd of about 50 people who attended the “Lobster Hack” at the Open Bench Project at Thompson’s Point on Wednesday that the design of lobster traps hasn’t changed much over the last 120 years; only the materials to build them have. Steel has replaced wood. Biodegradable rings help lobsters escape lost traps. The vertical lines that connect traps to buoys now must break if a large sea mammal, like a right whale, becomes entangled.