Forum Address Brings Lobstermen’s Association Letters



The newly appointed DMR Commissioner Norman Olsen addressed a room of a few hundred fishermen at the Fishermen’s Forum on March 4th, 2011.

A member of the Downeast Lobstermen’s Association took issue with the commissioner’s comments regarding dragged lobster, shrimp landings and the commodification of Maine lobster licenses. All are sensitive subjects in the industry. He thought other fishermen might have similar concerns about those comments.

The result was a letter to Maine’s new governor Paul Lepage who had addressed the same audience before the commissioner. The entire introduction and letter to the governor as published in the DELA newsletter appears below.

This letter was sent in by a fisherman who was concerned about the subjects that were brought up by our new Commissioner, Norman Olsen, at the Fishermen’s Forum. If you agree with the statements, please feel free to sign this letter and send it in to the Governor. This letter is simply to establish how strongly Maine fishermen feel about these three issues. Maine is very proud of our fishery, and want it to stay that way for future generations.

March 16, 2011

Governor Paul LePage
1 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear Governor LePage,

We are writing to inform you of our concerns over Norman Olsen, our new Department of Marine Resources Commissioner. We would like to express our dismay and frustration over what we heard at the Fishermen’s Forum in Rockland.

1. Dragged lobsters should never be landed in Maine.

2. Moving to Portland to land shrimp is not a reasonable solution for Hancock and Washington County fishermen or their communities.

3. Transferable lobster licenses to the highest bidder for our retirements will jeopardize the future of this Maine industry.

These are a few of our concerns that we felt needed to come to you directly.
Your talk was hopeful, optimistic, and welcome to our ears! Thank you! Keep up the good work.

Sincerely, _______________