The Maine Attorney General’s Office has sent summons’ to people to gather information. According to the Attorney General’s Office it is a preliminary inquiry to determine if anything illegal has happened.
The communications director at the Attorney General’s Office in Augusta, Kate Simmon, said she could not comment on most of the questions asked.
She did say that 50 members of the public asked for a preliminary inquiry into the pricing of lobster. She could not say who asked for the inquiry. Last year when lobster prices collapsed, lobstermen complained about dealers to DMR commissioner George Lapointe. Lapointe could not address the problem, but suggested if they wanted to do something they could complain to the Attorney General.
Confidentiality had to be maintained as to whether there is a case, who received the summons’, where the recipients reside (what counties), whether it is an anti-trust case, or if there is in fact a case, and what time frame the AG’s office is working on.
Simmons did say that, “this is being taken very seriously.”
That leaves the rumors, of which there are plenty. Some are taken seriously and others not.
The summons’ sent out are requests for information.
They cite “potential violation of 10MRS 1101 “Specifically, the Attorney General is investigating whether shellfish dealers in certain regions of coastal Maine have engaged in practices constituting one or more agreements in restraint of trade or commerce in any market for shellfish sales and distribution in the state of Maine.”
The summons’ seek documents of trade in shellfish from shell fish dealers beginning June 1, 2008 and due by November 23, 2009. The documents called for are those regarding all kinds of communication – notes, email, phone, invoices, letters, etc.
Speculation has several scenarios evolving about the who, what, where and when of this inquiry. Lobster prices have been low for a while. Controversy over the low price paid for lobster goes back long before the recent collapse of prices.
Prices have been drifting lower, even though the catch has also been drifting down from its high a few years ago.
But the economy is now in deep trouble and most people have backed off on spending whenever they can.
If and when the attorney General’s Office releases the names of those who sought the inquiry, the names of those who made the request will be known. But why the price of lobster has been low may not be any better understood.
