Tiered Lobster License System
Discussed By LAC
by FV Staff

In the event the lobster industry in the State of Maine is faced with a significant mandatory trap reduction, the Lobster Advisory Council is attempting to develop a system to equitably manage that reduction. The goal is to keep full time lobstermen fishing as full time lobstermen, in the face of a demand for a large trap reduction.

Trap reduction is the hot-button issue of hot button issues for fishermen. It is the hot potato issue for management. “If there is a trap reduction the goal is to protect the fishermen, if and when it happens,” said Bob Baines, lobsterman and Lobster Advisory Council member

If, for example, a 50 percent reduction were called for, as it stands now, the state must say those fishing 800 traps would go to 400 traps. At the same time, those fishing less that 400 traps can add 100 traps per year. Those with fewer than 400 can go up 100 traps each year, while those fishing 800 would be dropped back to what is considered part time fishing, at 400 traps.

One alternative system to the current one for making trap reductions, is to have a tiered system. The number of traps a lobsterman fishes would determine on what tier they are on, 800 being the top tier. The cut would be proportional up and down the tier structure. Depending on the total number of traps being cut, the lobsterman fishing 100 traps would be cut back by the same percentage as the lobsterman fishing 800. In proportional reduction, the reduction would be distributed evenly and therefore the impact lessened for the full time fishermen.

A sub-committee to the advisory council was established to hammer out options. This simpler sub-committee format it is hoped will streamline the development process. Developing a plan has been described as “extremely problematic.” The committee has looked at the problem from several angles, including, income, the number of traps, history, etc.

Baines said he wants to make it clear that there is not a trap reduction planned. There is, however, the inevitable threat of one. Referring to the whale rule on groundline he said, “We lost on the groundline issue, why should we think we will win on trap reduction.” He was referring the pending move by environmental groups to reduce the number of vertical lines in the water in an effort to reduce whale entanglements. “Doing nothing is not the answer,” said Baines.

“The environmental people are coming after us full bore on vertical lines,” said Baines. The Maine Lobstermen’s Association made a major effort to defend themselves against the efforts to do away with float rope. “The MLA had high end Washington lawyers, but we lost. We know that if there is a court order to reduce traps, we are going to have to take those traps out of the water,” said Baines.

A three-tier plan has been mentioned, but Baines said discussions have not yet gotten to where they can say what the configuration might be.

The sub-committee will be working on developing a plan over the winter. There is no bill in the legislature yet, so there is nothing to move forward legislatively. Not everyone on the Lobster Advisory Committee is in agreement on what the plan should look like, but they all agree on the need to move forward. In the wings is the Governor’s task force report on the sustainability of the Maine lobster industry. The task force is looking at marketing, pricing, growth, bait, and several other components in the wake of the recent collapse of lobster prices.

Baines said no one wants a trap reduction. The only thing we can do is change what we have proportionately. The development of a reduction plan, said Baines, “is a work in progress, but we are quite a distance from the solution.”