I ended last year’s guest column optimistically looking ahead to 2020, to ending the uncertainties of 2019. Few could have predicted that in addition to ongoing trade policy challenges, the world would face a global … Continue reading
As we approach the end of 2020, a year most of us are glad to see go, it’s a good time to review the results of the Maine lobster marketing program.As background, the Maine Lobster … Continue reading
The 2020 American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment was released in November by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The study, undertaken every five years, presents contrasting results for the two American lobster stock units, with … Continue reading
Stonington lobster fisherman John Williams usually hauls his boat out in February for annual maintenance and paint in preparation for the start of the spring fishing season. “Then COVID started,” he says. The health emergency … Continue reading
In October, Luke’s Lobster and the Island Institute, a non-profit organization based in Rockland, received a $2.5 million grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation of California to build new markets for Maine’s seafood while … Continue reading
The Maine lobster industry has faced more than its share of challenges over the past few years. The industry has weathered unfavorable trade regulations which have made Maine lobster less competitive in the European and … Continue reading
For any business, managing debt and cash flow is crucial to survival. Commercial fishing is not any different. The Covid-19 pandemic has shed a light on the issue, particularly for those companies that have done … Continue reading
On August 24, the U.S. International Trade Commission announced it will investigate the possible negative effects of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement (CETA) on American lobster exports. The commission said it will investigate the overall economic … Continue reading
We are well into peak lobster season in Maine, so it’s timely to share an update on the MLMC’s marketing activities and the pivots we’ve made due to the impacts of the pandemic. Our primary … Continue reading
When COVID-19 seemingly shut down the world this spring, ripples of concern spread through the Maine lobster fishery. Large-scale purchasers of lobster, such as restaurant chains, casinos, cruise lines, and others, closed down in order … Continue reading
