They say that with age comes wisdom. The MLA turned 70 this year and I believe the organization has acquired much wisdom over the years. The MLA’s longevity, experience and institutional knowledge provide a perspective unavailable to younger organizations. We’ve seen political landscapes change over time, and we feel the effects of those changes very deeply today.
During it's 70 years, the MLA has worked with leaders of all stripes.
We know that lobsters don't care about political parties. MLMC photo.
As the nation moves to elect a new President in November, it is important to understand why the MLA does things a bit differently than other organizations. The MLA is not Democrat or Republican or Independent because our members are all of those things — and many proudly so. You will not see MLA staff or board members on TV endorsing candidates. The MLA has long held that there is nothing partisan about protecting Maine’s lobster fisheries and the many communities that depend on it. We strive to keep the issues facing the lobster industry at the forefront of our activities rather than politics.
It is you, our members, who hold the power to affect change at the voting booth. You have the power to stand up for what you believe in by casting your vote, and the MLA urges each and every member to do that. The MLA stands ready to work with whomever is elected by our citizens to represent the great state of Maine and the lobster industry.
When the MLA was established in 1954, Republican President Dwight Eisenhower was in office. Since then, we’ve been through six Democratic administrations — Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Clinton, Obama, and Biden — and six Republican administrations — Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush, Bush, and Trump.
Maine has been blessed with tremendous bipartisan leadership in Congress throughout the past 70 years, including Republicans Margaret Chase Smith, William Cohen, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins; Democrats Edmund Muskie and George Mitchell; and Independent Angus King. The MLA has a long history of working with these incredible leaders from both sides of the aisle to pass laws that support and sustain the Maine lobster industry.
We’ve accomplished a lot in 70 years. The MLA’s work with our Congressional delegation stopped oil refineries from being built off Downeast Maine in the 60’s, changed tax law to keep lobstermen in business through the passage of the Sternman Act in the 70’s, passed the Mitchell Provision of the Magnuson Act to prohibit the import of undersize lobster in the 80’s, and limited dragger bycatch of lobster in the 90’s.
And let’s not forget that through the efforts of Maine’s Congressional Delegation, Congress hit the pause button on new whale rules in 2022, staving off the implementation of massive closures, trap reductions and removal of buoy lines that would have crippled Maine’s lobster industry. I was in the thick of that effort and I am still impressed by how genuinely our elected leaders care about the lobster industry. I will never forget the tenacity and leadership of Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and the fight and tireless support of Representative Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, as well as Governor Mills. This is a shining example of the non-partisan character of Maine’s lobster industry, and how the impossible becomes reality when industry and government leaders work together.
These accomplishments are even more remarkable when you consider how little lobstermen themselves agree on. As the saying goes, ask ten lobstermen a question and you’ll get ten different answers. It is not easy to represent a fishery which does not agree on much. As a diverse group of independent business owners, lobstermen find plenty to argue over. We live in different communities; we operate small and large vessels; we fish seasonally and year-round; we fish alone or with crew; with new, modern gear or with old gear somehow patched together. We have different political philosophies, different priorities and different local circumstances. What’s good for one lobsterman may be harmful to another.
The MLA understands this which is why we look beyond those things that divide us and focus on those things that bring us together. In a world where people are conditioned to react to everything in the moment, the MLA leans into its maturity and discipline to ensure that its work sustains the core values that unite Maine’s lobster industry — our sense of pride in our fishery, a strong stewardship ethic, loyalty to our communities, and a shared duty and fierce commitment to save Maine’s lobstering heritage.
We will not settle for a future where our children and future generations are denied the opportunity to become part of Maine’s proud lobstering tradition. Not on our watch.
There will be a new President next month. We may see power shift in Congress. Regardless of the political outcomes, Maine lobstermen will continue to face critical challenges that will require significant leadership and advocacy by the MLA. We will continue to play the long game, drawing on decades of experience to be strategic in our efforts. This may be a bit less flashy than what others are doing, but history shows that the MLA will get results that matter.
The ancient Greeks got it right when they said, “The only constant in life is change.” Our world is changing at a rapid pace; the MLA will adapt and change with the times without sacrificing the things that matter most. We will continue to work with our elected officials — whoever they may be — in order to secure a future with a strong and healthy lobster fishery for generations to come.
As always, stay safe on the water.
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