For over sixty years the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) has represented the state’s lobster fishery in the same way: attending countless meetings, hundreds of hours of legislative and regulatory hearings, and meeting with Maine’s Congressional … Continue reading
Indeed, these are weird times. Maine’s 4,500 independent owner-operator lobstermen are navigating what feels like never-before-experienced conditions of uncertainty. Tradition is something that this industry values deeply and credits for much of its success. While … Continue reading
A panel of five officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spoke to and answered questions from a largely polite audience of lobstermen and others at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in March. Chris Oliver, … Continue reading
In January the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) informed the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) that its proposal to reduce the risk of entanglement by North Atlantic right whales in lobster gear did … Continue reading
2019 was a year of great change for the state of Maine, the lobster industry and the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA). The lobster industry greeted 2019 with much anguish over prospects for an acute bait … Continue reading
Maine lobstermen are known for looking toward the future by taking steps to preserve the fishery for future generations. As regulatory and economic pressures increase on Maine’s lobstermen, many are deciding to join the Maine … Continue reading
There’s no doubt that Maine lobstermen are feeling anxious about the future. While only time will tell what the fishery will look like future years, one thing is clear: lobstermen are making sure their voices … Continue reading
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association with support from the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative and Hannaford Supermarkets once again hosted a free bus trip for lobstermen and others to the Seafood Expo North America in Boston. The … Continue reading
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Lobster fishing deaths accounted for the highest number of occupational fatalities in East Coast fisheries from 2010-2014. Most of these deaths were related to … Continue reading
The million-dollar questions on lobstermen’s minds seem to be, “What do I need to do to prepare for the 2019 fishing season? Will there be new whale regulations to contend with, and what is the … Continue reading
