By Kristan Porter, MLA President
Over the past few years I have written several columns for Landings as president of the MLA. Sadly, or depending on your point of view maybe not, this will be my final one as president. A little over a year ago I announced to the board of directors that I was going to serve my last term, ending this month.
When I took over the helm from Dave Cousens in 2018, there was a little ripple of trouble stirring on the horizon but no one could have imagined the storm that was brewing. That storm — right whale problems — hit us hard and we have been navigating through it over the past six years.
It didn’t take long for the MLA board to realize that we were in uncharted waters. The stakes were higher than ever and it was do or die for the lobster industry. The MLA had to find a way to influence the impending right whale regulations. It was obvious that the traditional route of showing up at meetings, talking to policymakers and trusting that common sense would prevail wasn’t going to work in the world of the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts. It was going to take lawyers, really good lawyers, and that was going to take money, lots of it. The big problem was that at the time the MLA didn’t have much of either.
The board decided that if the Maine lobster fishery was going to go down, the MLA was going to go down swinging. It was a stressful and tense time requiring the board to make difficult and bold decisions. The MLA did a full send and the lobster community stepped up to help us. We took on the federal government and the environmental groups in court and WON! It truly was a David vs. Goliath story, and it would not have been possible without the united power of the MLA board and the many businesses, communities and individuals who stepped up. Together, we combined forces to elevate our voices, raised funds, and saved Maine’s lobster industry.
Now, unfortunately, the next round of right whale rules is right around the corner. We are no longer the underdog and we have a huge target on our backs. The MLA will not back down, and with the continued support of the industry, will continue to lead this fight.
Right whale regulations were definitely not the only dilemma that faced the industry over the last few years. Offshore wind development, bait shortages, Chinese tariffs, the COVID pandemic, and the proposed lobster gauge increase are just a few of the issues that the MLA tackled. One of the challenges of my job as President was to get our 20 board members, from Cutler to Kittery, to come together on each issue and plot the best course forward. Each issue is unique, and often there is not a clear path forward. I can assure you that we didn’t agree all the time. I’ve guided the board through some pretty heated discussions over the years, but I can say that in the end the board always made decisions based on what was best for the future of Maine’s lobster fishery and the communities that depend on it.
As I prepare to step aside and let someone else take the wheel, I can take a look back and see more clearly all that the MLA has navigated and accomplished during my watch. I am so grateful to the people I have had beside me all the way. The board has always had my back and has always stepped up to make hard decisions. The MLA’s staff and legal team are second to none and of course without Patrice I would have been sailing without a rudder.
To all the members of the MLA and all who have donated to our Legal Defense Fund, I want to personally thank you for your support. Your trust in MLA has kept us going, both financially and morally. Please continue your support. Some rough seas lay ahead but I have so much confidence in the course our board has charted. The board has carefully planned for this transition and our new leadership team has a great mix of new blood and seasoned veterans.
My term as the fifth president of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association has been a relatively short one, especially compared to my predecessor, but a lot has happened in those six years. These wrinkles didn’t all come from being out on the water! I am honored to have served you and proud of what we have accomplished together.
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