Stonington, Maine lobster boat races July 2017. The annual Maine lobster boat races are a celebration of the state’s historic and iconic lobster fishing industry. The industry is the bedrock of Maine’s coastal economy, it’s fishing communities and culture. The races also mark the unofficial beginning of the lobster fishing season. See race schedule here. Fishermen’s Voice photo.
Lobstermen Snarled in Endline Impasse
by Laurie Schreiber
The lobster industry got its first look at what new “risk reduction” strategies, to protect North Atlantic right whales, might mean for their fishing operations, during a round of meetings hosted by the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in June.
About 100 people showed up at the first meeting, held in Zone B.
The DMR held the meetings with Maine’s seven lobster management zone councils to develop proposals that meet targets established by the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (TRT) for protection of the whale. The TRT’s recommended measures for Maine include removing 50 percent of vertical lines and the use of weak rope in the top of vertical lines in federal water.
The goal is to achieve an overall 60 percent risk reduction for the whales.
“The risk of a whale running into one endline is very low,” said DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “The risk of running into 2 million endlines is very high. That’s where the numbers come from when it comes to risk.”
Keliher and DMR staffers presented a variety of scenarios to achieve the reductions. The scenarios included potentially reducing the number of traps allowed to each fisherman in combination with trawling up more traps to reduce the number of endlines. For example, an inshore area might currently allow a fishermen to haul pairs. That could potentially be modified to triples or more.
Lifejacket Van Brings
50% Discount On MA Coast
It’s the last chance for 50% discount on lifejackets for commercial lobstermen and commercial fishermen with a lobster bycatch license.
Final loop along the coast at these ports:
Tuesday - June 25 – Marshfield
10am, Lot by Harbormaster’s office
Wednesday - June 26 – Scituate
10am, Harbormaster Lot (by lobster docks)
Thursday - June 27 – Scituate
10am, Harbormaster Lot (by lobster docks)
