November newsletter.indd

Transcription

T HE M ONTHLY N EWSLETTER of the
MAINE
LOBSTERMEN’S ASSOCIATION
Better Informed, Better Decisions
By Hanna Wheeler &
Patrcie McCarron
November 2009 Vol 17, No. 10
Lobster industry examines
other bait sources
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association
is investigating the lobster industry’s bait
situation in an effort to ease the upcoming bait crunch.
The MLA is compiling available data on
the pogey (Atlantic menhaden), red fish,
and herring fisheries and other bait supplies
in order to determine the likelihood of
compensating for the cuts in herring quota
(see “Bait shortages loom” in the October
MLA newsletter).
Many unknowns exist. “It’s been interesting to talk to managers, scientists and
industry members to get a handle on the
situation. They have a pretty good idea of
where the fish are coming from and what
the fish are sold as, but they don’t know
much beyond that,” said Patrice McCarron,
executive director of the MLA.
For example, in 2008, nearly 190,000 mt
of pogies were landed along the Atlantic
coast, but only 47,000 mt sold as bait. Can
the lobster industry
snag a bigger piece of
the pogey catch?
Which areas of the
coast will struggle most
with bait shortages?
And what amount of
bait storage is available?
“Once we pull the
individual pieces together we can paint a more
accurate picture of what
our bait industry is and
what our alternatives are
Herring stacked high at Winter Harbor
in the future,” said McCo-op. Photo: Hanna Wheeler
Carron.
The MLA is conment of Marine Resources (DMR).
ducting surveys of Maine lobstermen and
Some of the preliminary findings may
bait dealers and compiling data from Na- seem obvious. Some are surprising. The
tional Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), important thing, McCarron explained, is
Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics
Program (ACCSP), and the Maine DepartSee Bait Source on page 4
Fishermen tangle
with whales
By Michele Gryga
A Cape Cod fisherman has been
fined $500 for violating federal law
by disentangling a hump back whale
caught in his fishing gear in July 2008.
Robert Eldridge, a 40-year-old
fisherman out of Chatham, MA,
faced a potential $100,000 fine and
a maximum of one year in jail if
found guilty of violating the federal Endangered Species Act and
the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Eldridge was reported to officials
because he had an observer aboard
his vessel at the time of the incident.
He accepted a plea deal on September 30 with a reduced fine of $500.
As part of the deal, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric AdminSee Whales on page 9
O’Hara Lobster Bait
Proud Sponsor of the MLA
U.S. Postage Paid
Brunswick, ME 04011
Permit No. 65
207.594.0405
Canadian lobstermen aid package questioned
By Michele Gryga
The Canadian government’s $15 million* in direct
aid for the Canadian lobster industry calls into question
Canada’s international treaty obligations with the US.
Under the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), government subsidies generally are prohibited. In a CBC News broadcast, Federal Fisheries
Minister Gail Shea acknowledged that “providing Maritimes lobster fishermen with subsidies in this time of
low prices violates Canada’s trade agreement with the
United States.” Yet Shea announced the aid package’s
implementation on June 10 and its finalized eligibility requirements on September 22.
$15 million is directly available to lobstermen
through Short-Term Transitional Measures (STTM).
The $15 million is part of a larger $75 million aid package earmarked for the lobster industry.
Aid is not available to all lobstermen. Only those that
meet strict criteria are eligible for the one-time payment.
Applicants must be license holders. Assistance is not
available to deckhands or crewmembers. The applicant
must have held a valid lobster license in both 2008 and
2009 and earned income from lobstering during both
years. Lobstermen must have made in 2009 less than or
equal to $50,000 in gross landings. Applicants also must
have experienced at least a 25% decline in landed value
between 2008 and 2009.
License holders must be “lobster dependent,” meaning that their lobster- landed value must have represent-
ed at least 50 percent of their total landed value in 2008
and that their gross value of lobster landings in 2009
must have been at least $2,500.
Canadian lobstermen are required to report their
landings to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO). The DFO determines an applicant’s eligibility
based on these records. In a September 30 article by
Sou’Wester, a weekly Nova Scotia paper, Shea quantifies
that of the approximately 9,700 lobster license holders
roughly 3,000 lobstermen will qualify for some financial
relief under the program.
The STTM caps aid at $5,000 per license holder. An
eligible license holder only may receive 75% of the difference between the gross value of his 2009 lobster landings and the gross value of his 2008 lobster landings, but
only up to the $5,000 cap. The application period ends
on January 31, 2010, with the last payment being mailed
on March 31, 2010.
In addition to the $15 million in STTM, $50 million
will be spent over five years for Atlantic Lobster Sustainability Measures (ALSM) to restructure the industry and
create long-term sustainability projects.
$10 million will be spent on Community Adjustment
Funding (CAF) for lobster marketing, innovation, and
product development. A joint government-industry lobster steering committee will oversee CAF’s funding and
project development.
The US’s and Canada’s fisheries are closely integrated
with high trades in live
lobsters from the US to
See Canada aid on page 2
2
MAINE LOBSTERMEN’S ASSOCIATION
Maine Lobstermen’s
Association
Advocating for a
A
sustainable
lobster resource
lo
and the
f ishermen and
ccommunities that
depend on it
Since 1954
S
Board of Directors
•••
President: David Cousens
So. Thomason 207.594.7518
1st VP: Jack Merril
Isleford 207.244.7884
2nd VP: Brian McLain
New Harbor 207.677.3377
Sec/Treasurer:Arnold Gamage, Jr.
So. Bristol 207.644.8110
Bob Baines, Spruce Head 596.0177
Shane Carter, Bar Harbor 288.0236
Dwight Carver, Beals 497.2895
Gerry Cushman, Port Clyde 372.6429
Jim Dow, Bass Harbor, 288.9846
Jim Henderson, Camp Ellis, 282.0913
Sherm Hutchins, Deer Isle, 348.2718
Robert Ingalls, Bucks Harbor, 255.3418
Mark Jones, Boothbay, 633.6054
Jason Joyce, Swan’s Island, 526.4109
Tad Miller, Matinicus, 372.6941
Mike Myrick, Cusing, 354.6077
Brad Parady, Kittery, 337.3141
Kristan Porter, Cutler, 259.3306
Lawrence R. Pye, Small Point, 389.1390
Willis Spear, Yarmouth, 846.9279
Jay Smith, Nobleboro, 563.5208
Craig Stewart, Long Island, 846.3158
Elliott Thomas, Yarmouth, 846.6201
Pat White, York, 363.6783
Donald Young, Cushing, 354.6404
Jack Young, Vinalhaven, 863.4905
Staff
•••
Executive Director:
Patrice McCarron
207.967.4555
[email protected]
November 2009
Steaming Ahead
The number one question I’ve been
getting from lobstermen about the anticipated herring cuts is “why isn’t the
MLA standing up and fighting for us?”
The sentiment is that we should just say
no, and tell everyone that we don’t accept the proposed changes.
I wish it were that easy!
I can assure you that the association is
standing up for you on this issue. We’re
doing our job of telling everyone that
the proposed herring cuts will cripple
our industry and threaten to put many
lobstermen out of business. The current
proposals are not acceptable and do not
pass the straight face test.
Cutting the quota in half in a fishery
that is not overfished just doesn’t make
sense.
We continue to meet with herring
industry representatives, strategize with
our delegation and attend meetings, yet
the proposal to reduce herring quotas remains.
MLA is advocating that our current
herring quotas, which we are still adjusting to, remain in place next year. This
will allow time for a new benchmark
assessment to be conducted. Scientists
acknowledge the huge amount of uncertainty in the results of the current herring
assessment. That uncertainty has been
used as the justification to recommend
slashing the herring quotas as a safeguard
for the resource. They are not required
to consider the economic fallout resulting from their decision. And the lobster
industry is left with severe economic impacts because the scientists have chosen
to be extremely cautious, just in case.
The MLA is also advocating that
NMFS prioritize funding to improve the
science behind the assessment, especially
the inshore stock component which we
are so heavily dependent on for bait.
And the MLA is supporting the development of an experimental fishery for redfish in the Gulf of Maine which has the
potential to provide a small, local, source
of bait.
And we continue to relate the economic hardship this will cause our fishermen, our industry and our communities.
It is critical that the management
community understand the significance
of shutting the valve on our primary
bait supply. The loss of such a large local
source of bait will be devastating. Obviously, when bait is not available, lobstermen cannot fish. Bait shortages will become commonplace if this proposal goes
forward. Bait supply will no longer be
local. Bait prices will shoot up.
Our delegation, led by Senator
Snowe, has been doing an amazing job
advocating of our industry. And they
continue to explore and pursue political options in the hopes of turning this
around.
So, why haven’t we gained any
ground? No one has questioned the severity of the impacts of the proposed
herring cuts on the lobster and herring
industries. The problem lies with the reauthorized Magnuson Act.
Congress reauthorized the Magnuson Act to ensure that socio-economic
considerations and politics do not sway
decisions related to science. Congress has
designated the job of setting acceptable
catch limits to a committee of scientists
known as the Science and Statistical
Committee (SSC). The law mandates
that managers follow their recommendation. So when the lobster industry argues
that the recommended acceptable catch
level will cripple our industry, managers
may sympathize, but cannot reverse the
decision made by scientists.
Unless the SSC changes their recommendation, the manager’s hands are
tied. There is no flexibility to navigate
through these gray areas. One questionable decision snowballs into a crisis for
the industry.
There is a lot of uncertainty with re-
gard to the herring quota for next year
and a final resolution can only happen
through better science. The MLA will
continue to push for a new assessment.
Scientists must be confident in the information driving management decisions.
The sooner this happens, the sooner we
can revisit the herring quotas. Of course
there are no guarantees that a new assessment will yield different results.
MLA is investigating the potential for
other baits to make up for any losses in
herring supply. The lobster industry uses
a lot of bait, and it will be difficult to
replace existing supply. We’ve already absorbed a loss of more than a half million
bushels of herring through the quota cuts
since 2006. We must also start to think
about what we can do to help ourselves if
the herring supply is cut next year.
So, try this exercise to help you understand how this issue could impact
your lobster business. Consider your anticipated gross revenue from lobstering
this year. Subtract out your annual bait,
fuel, sternman and other basic operating costs. At $2.75 a pound, I’m guessing there’s not much left. Now try the
same exercise, but double your bait bill. I
know lobstermen believe in the free market and survival of the fittest, but how
many lobster businesses are fit enough to
survive this storm?
We will soon know what the 2010
quotas will be as the Council is scheduled to vote on this November 17. I
promise you that the MLA will continue
to this fight for more herring for next
year and steady, affordable bait supply in
the future, no matter how high the deck
is stacked against us.
As always, stay safe
on the water.
Patrice McCarron is the Executive Director of the MLA
Staff Attorney
Michele Gryga
207.967.4555
[email protected]
Communications Coordinator:
Hanna Wheeler
207.975.7177
[email protected]
The MLA newsletter is published monthly. It
is provided for free to all Maine lobstermen
thanks to the support of newsletter sponsors.
This month’s sponsor is O’Hara.
Maine Lobstermen’s Association
21 Western Ave., #1
Kennebunk, ME 04043
[email protected]
www.mainelobstermen.org
Our newsletter is now online!
Canada aid
Continued from pagee 1
Canada and high trades in live
lobster and processed lobster
product from Canada to the
US. Canada catches and processes the majority of lobster. In 2007, Canada landed
95,843,764 pounds valued
at $562,433,000, accounting
for 55% of the overall landings, while the US landed
78,753,529 pounds valued at
$283,697,000 in US dollars.
Canada boasts a large processing industry into which
the US market feeds. The
Canadian processing sector
is comprised of over 500
buyers, 400 shippers, and
about 40 processors. By way
of comparison, the US has
some 2,000 dealers (buyers/
shippers) and a handful of
processing plants. Canadian
firms import 50-70% of the
US catch annually. Most of
this goes to St. Lawrence
Gulf-based processing plants,
augmenting their supply of
raw material from local fisheries. The US also represents
the largest market for Canadian lobster, taking 70-80%
of Canada’s total lobster exports.
The ALSM and CAF do
not act as direct subsides but
they will bolster the Canadian
lobster industry as a whole.
This money will capitalize,
restructure and promote Canadian lobster. Project ideas
may include refurbishing
processing plants, opening
new plants, increasing holding capacity, or further promoting the “superiority” of
Canadian-caught
lobsters.
Government capitalization
may affect the market price
of lobster in the future by increasing the price of the value added to the raw material.
Despite the government’s
aid, many Canadians criticize
the STTM. Canadian lobstermen are particularly frustrated with the program’s limiting
eligibility criteria and capped
payments. Lobstermen argue
that only a few will qualify as
lobster dependent under the
program. Few have made less
than or equal to $50,000 in
gross landings in 2009. They
also criticize the use of gross
landing values instead of net
landings values because rising
expenses are not taken into
consideration. Lobstermen
have pointed out that this is
particularly important due to
the loss of net earnings resulting from the decrease in
lobster prices and increase in
bait and fuel expenses.
Shea has echoed the fishermen’s lament in a recent report in the Sou’Wester, stating that something needs to
be done regarding the difference between expenses and
revenue. This perhaps implies
that the government may be
thinking of expanding the
program. However, Canada
has not made any steps to
either expand the STTM or
change its criteria.
*all dollar figures are reported
in Canadian dollars except when
otherwise indicated.
November 2009
3
Stonington co-op still going strong
By Hanna Wheeler
When one out of five people on an
island have a lobster license, you’re going
to need a big place to sell your lobsters.
The Stonington Lobster Co-op is one
of the biggest lobster co-ops in the state.
Its 100 members, two locations and 10
seasonal workers (five year-round employees) keep co-op manager Steve Robbins pretty busy. Despite the long hours,
Robbins says he really values the job. “I
like helping people,” he said.
He must be doing something right.
Co-op membership is strong and growing. The co-op is also expanding its small
but successful retail trade. They have advertised their retail sales through television and print ads both locally and regionally. And they plan to set up another retail
sales section at the co-op’s second location.
The majority of the co-op’s sales are
through wholesale markets, but Robbins
said he sees value in retail sales. Retail
customers pay a higher price, and Robbins has observed a growing demand for
purchasing directly from the lobstermen.
“Customers like the idea of a business owned and operated by fishermen,”
said Robbins. “The bottom line is more
money to the fishermen.”
Having the Zone C Lobster Hatchery
next door has helped the co-op’s retail
sales. “It generates a lot of foot traffic,”
said Robbins. “We’ve had people from
all over the world.”
The lobster hatchery was established
in 2005 by the Stonington Lobster Coop, Zone C Lobster Council, the Stonington Fisheries Alliance and the Penobscot East Resource Center (PERC).
Before that, the co-op ran a small, volunteer-run hatchery during the 1980’s.
The Zone C Lobster Hatchery studies the use of hatchery-reared lobsters
in the re-establishment of wild lobster
populations. A 16-member Hatchery
Steering Committee made up of fishermen from each district of Zone C helps
to guide the direction of the hatchery.
Robbins says the hatchery and the
co-op share a beneficial relationship. It
attracts retail customers to the co-op.
It also helps maintain a healthy lobster
resource. “Customers like the idea of
sustainability and fishermen like the idea
of ownership of the resource. It’s about
stewardship,” Robbins said.
The Stonington co-op is one of the
oldest in the state. Established in 1948,
its membership is multi-generational
with some instances of great-grandfathers, grandfathers, fathers and sons all
boasting co-op membership.
Co-op 1 on Indian Point Road is the
original buying station and site of the
co-op’s headquarters. Several years after
the co-op’s establishment, another wharf
came on the market. Co-op members decided to purchase it and dubbed it Co-op
2. Robbins commends the foresight of
those early co-op members. “You could
not service the number of boats that we
do from just one facility,” he said.
Another far-sighted move by co-op
members included in the installation of
hydraulic conveyor systems at both facilities. George Trundy, the former manager of the co-op, designed and constructed the co-op’s conveyor systems.
The conveyor system eliminates a
lot of time-consuming labor that otherwise would be done with a hoist or by
hand. “It’s well-thought out and wellconstructed,” Robbins said. Other dealers have looked at Stonington’s conveyor
system as an example, he said.
PHOTOS BY HANNA WHEELER
Archerie Pickering has been a member of the co-op since 1960. He recalls
how they used to put bait in drums and
roll them. Now with plastic bait boxes
and fork lifts, “There’s not as much backbreaking work,” he said. He says the
installation of the conveyor system between eight and ten years ago made loading lobster and bait a lot faster. Before,
they had to hoist one crate at a time. The
bottom of the wooden crates would fall
out, he said. They put bait in washtubs
instead of stainless steel bait boxes and
they didn’t have electronics on the boats.
“It’s been quite a change,” he said.
Pickering used to drive a truck for the
co-op, delivering lobster and groundfish
once a week to Ipswich, Massachusetts.
He said the co-op got out of the groundfish business because the overhead got to
be too high and the fish too scarce. Co-op
members also used to drag for mussels.
The co-op is looking towards increasing its bait storage. Right now, it
has a cooler at Co-op 1 and a cooler and
a freezer at Co-op 2. Robbins says maximum storage is only necessary for a few
months, though that might change if
bait shortages become a reality.
Access to bait is just one of the
challenges the co-op is facing. Robbins
rattled off a list including the economy,
herring management and gear restrictions. “It’s unprecedented,” he said.
“These guys feel like they’re getting hit
with a hammer over and over.”
He worries that it’s getting harder for
lobstermen to stay in business. Luckily,
he said, the co-op has a solid core of
dedicated members. “They put a lot of
work into it and a lot of their time. They
own it. As long as they want the co-op to
be, it will be,” he said.
Robbins is pretty dedicated himself.
“This is where I grew up. Ninety percent
of the people I’m in contact with every
day, I’ve known my whole life. You really
can’t ask for a better situation.”
4
November 2009
Lobstering life on Little Cranberry
By Hanna Wheeler
Conversations with Richard Howland
of Little Cranberry Island can bounce
from one subject to another. But hang
on for the ride because what he has to
say is insightful, heartfelt and hilarious.
Howland himself is a mosaic of
seemingly contradictory traits. He lives
in Ilesford on Little Cranberry—a tiny
island about three-quarters the size of
the University of Maine’s Orono campus—yet he has traveled around the
world including parts of South America.
He didn’t come from a fishing family
but he worked his way up to become one
of the island’s top fishermen.
And he started out as a high school
drop-out but is now a respected community member with key responsibilities
including president of the Cranberry
Isles fishermen’s co-op and Constable
for the town of Cranberry Isles.
Howland, age 26, fishes with Scorpio’s Lady, a 42-foot Bruno and Stillman.
The boat is the same boat he worked on
for four years as a sternman beginning
when he was 14. “I love that boat; I’ve
got a connection to it,” he said.
He started lobstering with a student
license when he was 11. When he was
14, he dropped out of high school. The
high school principal, who lived on
Great Cranberry, helped Howland find
an alternative high school program that
would allow him to get his degree while
continuing to lobster. “I owe a lot to
him,” Howland said.
After a full day of sterning, Howland
would then haul his own traps. When he
was 18, he decided to go out on his own.
He bought a 36-foot boat and progressively worked his way up over the years
to 800 traps. It was time to get a bigger
boat and the Scorpio’s Lady just happened to be for sale. Buying the boat
from his former captain and mentor
“was an emotional moment for both of
us.” It was Howland’s 23rd birthday.
Bait Sources
Living on Little Cranberry, population
77, is not for everybody, Howland said.
Howland joked that, “There are three ways
to get a woman to break up with you: tattoo her name on you, name a boat after
her, or move her out to Ilesford.”
Howland gives back to the community
whenever he can. He has been Constable
of the town Cranberry Isles (which includes Little Cranberry, Great Cranberry
and Sutton) since the age of 22.
“I’m the perfect man for the job,” he
joked. “There aren’t a lot of younger guys
around here.” Besides, he continued, “the
island runs itself.”
Then, in all seriousness, he explained
that, “You’ve got to approach it right.”
“When it comes to crunch time, I’m
good at handling those situations,” he said.
When asked about the biggest issues
facing young lobstermen, Howland rattled
off a list.
“The bait situation; we’re going to be
faced with the costs,” he said. “During
those boom years, when I got into the industry, we got used to using tons of bait.”
He is skeptical of switching to a different bait fish. “Herring is what we need. It’s
my recipe,” he said. Howland said he tells
his crew that making a bait bag and taking
care of the lobster product are the most
important things they can do on a boat.
Lobstermen will also face increasing
fuel costs. “We fish with diesel engines;
we need fuel.” Though fuel costs have
fallen compared to 2008’s spike, Howland says he wouldn’t be surprised to see
fuel prices climb back up again. “We’re
helpless without fuel,” he said. He said
he was glad he’d gone with a smaller,
more fuel-efficient engine for his boat.
Many problems, he said, stem from
the increasing number of regulations
intended to protect endangered North
American right whales or to protect the
Atlantic Herring stock.
Howland still sees a lot of day-to-day
struggles with the sinking groundline
requirement that went into effect April
Continued from page 1
having it all together in
one place.
“We need to know what’s going on so we can measure the impact if we lose a lot of herring,” she said.
“How much are we going to lose and what can we replace it with? We are fighting hard not to lose those fish,
but there are no guarantees. We need to be prepared.”
Bait shortages will negatively impact coastal communities and could have statewide and national repercussions because of the significance of the Maine
lobster industry.
In 2008, the Maine lobster industry was worth
roughly $240 million and accounted for 79 percent
of US lobster landings. Prior to the recession, lobster
landings were valued at over $300 million.
Maine issued 5,538 commercial lobster licenses.
Nearly half (48 percent) of active lobstermen are in
Downeast Maine (Zones A, B, C), 30 percent are in
Midcoast Maine (Zones D, E) and 22 percent are in
Southern Maine (Zones F, G).
Herring provides the bulk of the Maine lobster industry’s bait—about 70 percent.
Maine’s bait dealers mostly depend upon local
herring from the inshore area (Area 1A). Many small
communities, such as Port Clyde , are supplied fresh
2009. “I’m parting
gear off left and
right. I traded in
rope and I did the
best I could, but
we’re getting a lot
of pressure.”
Lobstermen
have been left out
of the rule-making
“I love that boat; I’ve got a connection to it.” --Richard
process, explained
Howland Photo: Richard Howland
Howland.
“I’ve
go harder than hell. We just love going,”
been to quite a few
meetings; they just seem like a formal- said Howland.
Howland would like to see lobsterity,” he said.
Howland thinks fishermen have men band together more though the infalsely been made out to be villains. “We dependent nature of lobstermen makes
make our living from the ocean,” he this difficult. “At the end of the day, it’s
up to the lobstermen to create their own
said. “We don’t want to mess it up.”
Finally, lobstermen are contending with fate,” he said.
Right now is an especially busy time
low prices for their lobster. “The people
with a family and a big boat payment are for Maine’s lobstermen. “I’m on the
scraping by,” said Howland. Lobstermen boat for 14 to 15 hours a day. This is
don’t have a voice in setting the price of when you make your money,” said Howlobster, Howland explained. “I can’t think land. “I always get happy this time of
of many other situations where you bring year,” he added.
Howland said he likes what he does
the product in and you get told what you’re
because it is independent, self-discigoing to get for it,” he said.
Despite the struggles, lobstermen plined, and traditional. “There’s a feeling
keep going out, in part because they love of pride just being behind the wheel. And
what they do. “We keep working. We’ll the harder you work, the better you do.”
herring by local vessels which offload fish in port. A
lack of available fish from the inshore area would result in a severe bait shortage for many remote communities along the Maine coast.
Downeast fishermen are more dependent on herring from the Canadian weir fishery due to their proximity to that supply source. Supplies from the weir
fishery fluctuate due to the changing behavior of the
schools of fish and the fixed nature of the weir fishery.
For example the weir fishery landed more than 30,000
metric tons in 2007 but only 6,000 metric tons in 2008.
The price of herring has crept up steadily. According to Maine DMR, in 2006, the average boat price
of herring was $0.11 per pound. In 2008, it was $0.13
per pound. Considering that the Maine lobster industry goes through more than 132 million pounds of
herring a year, that’s a significant increase. Lobstermen
pay above the boat price for bait. MLA price report
data indicates that lobstermen paid about $0.28 per
pound of herring in 2008.
As the price for herring increased, lobstermen used
less of it by reducing the amount of bait used per haul
and by substituting other bait fish.
In 2006, lobstermen used 2.5 pounds of herring
per trap haul. In 2008, they used 2.1 pounds.
Besides herring, pogies
are the most frequently-used
Continued on page 9
Tailored financing
specifically for
your needs.
New Boat Construction
Used Boat Loans
Traps & Gear Loans
Refinancing & Repowering
For All Your Marine
Financing Needs
Contact Jim Amabile
1-800-974-9995
A
Katahdin Trust Company Affiliate
15 Pleasant Hill Road
Scarborough, Maine 04074
November 2009
5
The power of organizations
By Julianne Curry, Petersburg, Alaska
There is something to be said for strength in numbers. As commercial fishermen, we have all witnessed
the effects of regulations and policy-making. Some
good, some bad, some just plain ugly.
We have all also witnessed “that guy” down at the
docks or at the coffee shop complaining about regulations and policy-making.
Ironically, the people who do the most complaining
are usually the least involved in the regulatory process.
When stopped on the street by one of the uninvolved
complainers, the first thing I ask is if they have joined
an organization or group that represents their interests;
unfortunately, the most common answer is no.
Commercial fishing organizations are some of the
most influential forces in guiding regulations and policy.
Supporting an active organization
can mean the difference between
your fishing business surviving and
it being regulated to death.
Supporting an active organization can mean the difference between your fishing business surviving and it
being regulated to death. Organizations monitor and
participate in the regulatory process on your behalf, allowing fishermen to spend more time doing what they
do best: fishing.
Many organizations are run by a director who
spends countless hours communicating, fact checking, building relationships, and attending meetings
to ensure the needs of the membership are met and
fisheries are protected. Information is gathered and
distributed to keep members up to date on current legislation, issues being addressed at the regional management councils, and actions discussed at the state level.
While you are fishing, public policy continues requiring eyes, ears, and a voice to represent you and
your livelihood. Organizations can provide a lifeline
for your fishing business through information and representation.
Commercial fishermen are facing adversity from all
directions. Environmental groups, the global economy,
allocation battles, safety concerns, media misinformation, sportfishing interests, and politics all threaten the
fishing industry. Having a good organization on your
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JULIANNE CURRY
side is often the best defense in protecting your business, and chances are there is a group out there that
represents your fishery (or fisheries) and interests.
There are four basic types of organizations: national, umbrella, local, and gear groups. National organizations, such as Commercial Fishermen of America
(www.cfafish.org), tackle issues facing the commercial
fishing industry in a broad manner. Because national
organizations have a diverse membership, they can
advocate for larger issues like health care for fishing
families and educating the public on the role of the
fishing industry.
Umbrella organizations, such as United Fishermen
of Alaska (www.ufa-fish.org), typically represent a collaboration of groups and individuals working toward
a common goal. UFA represents 37 Alaska commercial fishing organizations and 375 individual members Julianne holds two black cod caught off the Southeast Alaska coast.
from fisheries throughout Alaska and its offshore wa- Concerned fishermen usually serve on the board of
ters. Umbrella groups that work on a majority or con- directors, so consider getting involved and volunteersensus basis can be very effective on issues that affect ing for a seat if you are looking for change within an
a wide range of fisheries or communities, but they may organization.
not be focused on specific or local issues.
Guest Column
Local organizations, such as the Petersburg Vessel
Owners Association (www.pvoaonline.org), represent
community-based interests and typically advocate for
the health of various fisheries and coastal communities. The membership of the Petersburg association reflects the diversity of the fishing fleet in Southeast Alaska,
including seiners, gillnetters, trollers, longlinters, and crabbers.
Gear groups tend to be fishery specific and can
range from the largest trawlers to the smallest trollers.
These groups are effective with allocative matters and
provide the critical role of bringing issues to umbrella
organizations to enlist broader support.
Find an organization that represents your interests
by talking to fishermen you trust, attending a meeting,
visiting the website, meeting the director, and reading
the mission statement to figure out where your ideals
and ideas fit.
Keep in mind that not everyone within a group
will agree, and you won’t always get what you want.
Keep in mind that not everyone
within a group will agree, and you
won’t always get what you want.
Thinking of not joining an organization because
you can’t afford it?
Most organizations have different membership levels to fit your budget. Consider if your fishing business
could be better off with the support of a respected
group that influences policy and regulation with hard
work and passion for the issues. Better yet, consider
if your fishing business is already benefiting from the
actions of organizations—but you just haven’t joined
yet.
Julianne Curry fishes in Southeast Alaska. She is director
of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, subsistence chair
for the United Fishermen of Alaska and serves on the board
of directors of the Halibut Coalition and Petersburg Marine
Mammal Center.
This letter originally appeared in the October issue of National Fisherman. It is reprinted here with permission.
Maine narrows search for wind energy demonstration sites
The Maine Department of Conservation (DOC) has selected four small areas in
state waters along the Maine coast that could
serve as demonstration areas for testing new
offshore wind energy technologies.
In each of the four draft sites, a
commercial developer would be limited
to testing a maximum of two deep water, offshore wind turbines, and could
also host demonstrations of new wave
energy technology.
Four small portions of the planning
areas off Boon Island, Damariscove Island, Monhegan Island and Cutler have
been identified as candidates to host
offshore wind energy demonstration
projects, including the one for which
the University of Maine recently received an $8 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Energy. The draft sites
announced today comprise only a small
area within the original and much larger
areas identified earlier this summer.
“Since July we’ve had almost twenty
intensive meetings with stakeholders,
seeking detailed feedback, said Robert
Marvinney, state geologist.
“We got the feedback. Public participation has been outstanding, and using information from fishermen, boaters, fish and wildlife biologists and other
stakeholders, we designed an objective
ranking system. That enabled us to narrow things down, and preliminarily select four much smaller areas that total
just seven square miles, each ranging
from one to two square miles.”
Kathleen Leyden, director of the
Maine Coastal Program at the State
Planning Office, is responsible for working with various stakeholders to ensure
a healthy coast and vibrant coastal communities. She said the extensive outreach process this summer and fall enabled designation of the four draft sites
to be done as collaboratively as possible.
“We were well aware before we even
started that Maine’s coastal waters are
a heavily used resource, by fishermen,
birds, marine mammals, sailors, you
name it, the list goes on,” Leyden said.
Legislation passed unanimously in
June mandates that the Department of
Conservation and the State Planning Office work together to identify between
one and five demonstration sites for
offshore wind in Maine’s coastal waters.
The sites will serve as locations for the
testing of all
the compoSee Wind on page 15
6
November 2009
PHOTO: ZACK BOWEN
Reconsider the lobster
By Mark Andrew Boyer
What could be more simple than fishing? You catch what nature provides, and
toss back what you don’t need. At least
that’s the way it was until every 7-Eleven
and gas station mini-mart started selling
spicy tuna rolls, and scientists observed
that the oceans were overfished and gutted of our favorite species. Now, a trip
to the fish counter at the supermarket is
riddled with complexity.
If you want to understand where
your food comes from, you have to go
beyond the supermarket, and go straight
to the source. With that premise, Dorothée Royal-Hedinger (the host) and I (the
cameraman) launched OrganicNation.tv
in April, and we set out on a nationwide
road trip, documenting the sustainable
food movement in a series of three- to
five-minute videos. On the East Coast
Tour, which wrapped up about a week
ago, we headed out to the wharves of
Maine to find out how lobster fishing can
be sustainable, both for the oceans and
the fishermen.
The difficulty with making the decision to buy lobster—or any seafood—is
that the USDA doesn’t have an acrossthe-board certification for seafood telling
consumers what fish has been raised and
harvested sustainably, as it does for landbased food. The next best option is to
check the seafood advisory lists, which
can be pretty confusing too. For example, the Environmental Defense Fund
says that Maine lobster is “ECO-OK”
and Seafood Watch calls Maine lobster a
“good alternative,” but the The Marine
Conservation Society gives lobster its
worst rating (five out of five), warning of
overfishing.
We found some answers at the Common Ground Country Fair, where we
caught up with lobster fisherman Ty
Babb, whose blazing red hair and ruddy cheeks resemble the crustaceans he
hunts. After some banter, Babb smacked
a lobster trap on the ground between us
and started explaining what “sustainability” means to his operation. According to
Babb, lobster is fished sustainably when
fishermen ensure that healthy populations are maintained by not harvesting too many lobsters at once. Lobster
populations are indeed on the rise, an accomplishment that should be attributed
to both fishermen and regulators. State
laws restrict the size—both minimum
and maximum—of lobsters that can be
sold and traps are required to have escape
valves that enable lobsters at the low end
of the size requirement to escape.
A major concern in keeping lobster
trapping sustainable is the sheer number
of traps on the ocean floor. Lobstermen can set up to 800 traps, and each
year thousands of lobster traps are lost,
leaving the ocean floor littered with what
are known as “ghost traps.” In 1990, a
law was passed requiring all traps to be
equipped with a biodegradable “ghost
panel,” enabling trapped lobsters to eventually escape from lost traps, but that only
solves part of the problem. More recently, a group of scientists conducted an experiment on Monhegan Island that could
ultimately help clean up the ocean floor.
According to Babb, “They used half as
many traps, and they went out and caught
almost the same amount in the first year.”
Cutting down the number of active traps
would also reduce the number of end
lines—the ropes which connect the traps
to the buoys—in the water. According to
a recent Boston Globe story, 323 whales
became entangled in fishing gear between
1997 and 2007.
On the other side of the equation,
the fishermen are suffering, and there
are fewer plans in place to help ensure
their survival. Not only is the price per
pound of lobster incredibly low, but scientists are urging the state to reduce the
region’s herring catch limit by more than
half. Herring is the primary bait used by
lobstermen. While limiting the catch will
be great for the environment, it will drive
up the price of bait, adding to the difficulties faced by fishermen.
Although the Maine coast looks a lot
different than some of the other places
we’ve covered with the OrganicNation.tv
project, the lobster industry shares some
major similarities with other parts of the
food landscape. The challenge, both on
land and in the ocean, is to produce food
using limited resources and causing the
least harmful impact. The lobster industry in Maine is making major strides towards reaching both of those goals. If
you’re feeling indecisive at the seafood
counter, Maine lobster is a selection you
can make with pretty clear conscience.
Mark Andrew Boyer is one half of the team
at OrganicNation.tv, a project that explores the
landscape of American sustainable food.
This article originally appeared in GOOD
Magazine. It is reprinted here with permission.
November 2009
7
For the love of fishermen
By Monique Coombs
On a typical Friday or Saturday evening I can be found on Bailey Island at
a very special place called happy hour.
It’s not a typical happy hour in a bar
with quarter draughts, stools and a bartender. This happy hour exists at a private shop with an old VW bug, a backhoe, an occasional boat, lots of tools, a
couple of refrigerators and a bunch of
chairs for anyone who happens to stop
by. There are a few regulars and I am
proud to say I am one of them.
Starting around three on Friday afternoons my 4-year old daughter starts to
ask when it will be time to go to happy
hour. Not a typical request for a 4-year
old, I know, but I’ll get to that. I start
to pack a bag with her snacks, a bottle
of juice, a bottle for her baby brother
and a few other things. We get in the car
around four and drive across the bridge
to our Friday meeting place. The workday is winding down at the shop and
the couple of people that are there are
taking a seat in the white plastic chairs
that are strewn about the shop. Beers are
Jocelyne helps her dad with the traps.
cracked, feet are put up and the stories,
hardships, jokes and travels of the week
are shared. Inevitably, conversations of
fishing, boat prices, fuel, busted reverse
gears and the good ol’ days ensue.
There is usually a dog or two running
about at happy hour and as I mentioned
my daughter comes and is usually riding
her bike or playing with her Barbies that
we leave there for her. My son, hopefully, sleeps in his car seat and if we are
lucky someone brings snacks: smoked
fish, crabmeat dip or Helluva Good
French Onion dip!
It’s these guys at happy
hour, my husband included
of course, that make me
proud to be a part of a
fishing family and a
fishing community.
It was at this place called happy hour
when a good friend of mine told me that
it takes a special woman to be married to
a fisherman. I told him that I couldn’t
imagine being married
to someone that wasn’t
a fisherman.
It’s these guys at happy hour, my husband
included of course, that
make me proud to be a
part of a fishing family
and a fishing community. They work hard, they
take pride in their work,
they love their work
(most of the time!), and
they show character and
insight that I find uncommon these days.
My husband starts
Photo: Monique Coombs
his day at 4 o’clock in the morning. He
sits downstairs and enjoys a cup of coffee while he checks the weather. If the
weather looks good, and even sometimes when it doesn’t look so good, he
puts on his boots and grabs his lunch
box and out the door he goes. I always listen for his truck to start and can
hear him leave the driveway and make
his way down the road to his boat. I
wake up not-too-much later with our
new baby boy and start my day. I keep
an eye on the weather as well to gauge
how worried I need to be about him
that day, make some breakfast, get the
kids ready to go, and it’s out the door
to work, errands and preschool. This is
my favorite time of year because I love
to see the leaves change and feel the air
get cool and crisp but it is a bittersweet
time of year because I also know that
soon instead of coming home late in the
afternoon my husband will be coming
home late in the evening. In an attempt
to get a bigger and better catch he will
go further off shore. And I worry now
too because I’m afraid that his risks will
be greater in an attempt to make up for
such low boat prices.
I make dinner every night and we sit
down at the table to eat as family. On
nights he is out fishing I listen constantly
for the same sound I heard that morning
but this time it is for my husband’s truck
to enter our driveway and stop. Even
on the nights he is late I sit down with
our daughter and ask her about her day.
I try to keep his meal warm for him because I know he appreciates that when
he gets home the way I appreciate him
for going out to work hard for his family. When he gets home I sit with him
and ask him about his day and I listen
even though sometimes I have no idea
what he is talking about and what he is
saying makes me nervous.
MONIQUE COOMBS
Lobstering, fishing, is tougher than
ever right now. Low boat prices, new
regulations, lack of money to fix the
boat, fear of rising bait costs and little
hope for the future make it a more trying time than ever. But, fishermen go
fishing because that’s what they do and
despite low costs or high costs they still
have to go. That separates the fishermen
from other men: an undying dedication
and passion for their work, their hard
work. It is not just a job it is a way of
life. Character is the way that you act in
a difficult situation, not an easy one, and
right now I think fishermen are showing great character. And that makes me
proud to be a fisherman’s wife.
On Saturday we do it all over again
just a little bit earlier. We head to happy
hour about three for some more deserved rest, relaxation and good friends.
Fishing always takes precedence and
sometimes someone doesn’t come because they are out fishing but everyone
knows they’ll see them the next week
and hear about whatever fishing fiasco
they got themselves into.
Monique and her husband, Herman, live
on Orr’s Island with their two children, Riley
and Jocelyne. Read her blog at lobstersonthefly.
blogspot.com She also published a lobster cookbook, titled Lobsters on the Fly, which can
be purchased from her website.
Still trying to solve the shrinkage mystery
By Hanna Wheeler
Twenty year ago, lobstermen and
dealers relied on lobster pounds to store
their product and help increase their
profits. Today, high rates of lobster dieoff (shrinkage) make pounds a moneylosing venture. Dr. Brian Beal, director
of research at the Downeast Institute on
Beals Island, wants to find out why pounds
aren’t working like they used to work.
“The shrinkage rate is four to five
times higher than it was 20 years ago,”
said Beal. “Why is that? What’s going on
in our pounds?”
Beal’s hypothesis is that lobsters are
handled differently due to today’s much
higher catch rates. Higher catch rates
speed up the physical handling of lobsters on the boat—potentially damaging
the lobsters.
Beal is most concerned with the
storage of lobsters on the boat. Many
lobster boat tanks have aeration systems that aren’t designed to hold large
catches over a long number of hours, he
explained.
Beal is seeking funding to test his hy-
pothesis. His study would match local
lobstermen with aeration systems designed for high volumes. The Downeast
Institute owns two working tidal lobster pounds which Beal would use to
study the effects of lobster handling on
shrinkage rates.
So far, Beal has not found funding for
the study but he is certain that the study
would be useful to the lobster industry.
“About 90 percent of the lobster
pounds in Maine aren’t being used today but they were 20 years ago,” said
Beal. “There’s potential to create economic opportunities.”
Lobster pounds diversify the lobster
industry, said Beal. He referenced last
year’s drop in lobster prices as an example. “What choices did fishermen and
dealers have? They could try to market
them to the general public or sell them
to Canada to process.”
“Pounds have been ignored,” said
Beal. “If they were part of the equation, it would provide another option
for fishermen or dealers.”
Herbert Hodgkins, former president of the now disbanded Maine
Pound Owners Association, agrees that lobster
pounds could be an asset.
“If shrinkage could be
solved, the pounds would
come back,” he said. The
Association
disbanded
last year due to the number of pounds going out
of business. While Hodgkins seems wistful about
the closure of so many
pounds, he’s not giving up.
Hodgkins still collaborates
with University of Maine
PHOTO: DOWNEAST INSTITUTE
researchers to “try to solve
the mystery.”
Beal says he recognizes
Downeast Institute has two lobster pounds available for research.
that his is just one hypothThe mission of the Downeast Inesis and it could be wrong.
stitute
is to improve the quality of life
But, he says, “this one seems practical
for
the
people of downeast and coastal
and fairly easy to test.”
While Beal quests for funding, Maine through applied marine research,
the Downeast Institute is renting the technology transfer, and public marine
pounds to two local families. Beal says resource education.
Formerly known as the Beals Ishe is pleased that lobstermen are “using
land
Regional Shellfish Hatchery, the
the pounds the way they were intended
Downeast
Institute has studied and apto be used.”
plied shellfish research for 19 years.
8
November 2009
Lobster license plates
By Hanna Wheeler
D
rive around any coastal community and most of the license plates
you will see are lobster specialty plates.
With a boiled red lobster in the foreground and a wharf and buoys in the
background, the lobster plate is a badge
of pride for many of Maine’s lobstermen
and lobstering community members.
Lobster plates are $20 above and beyond the regular registration fee. Where
does that extra money go?
In 2008, sales of the lobster plates
generated $403,195. That’s up from
2007’s total of $390,530. The Secretary
of State’s office receives a portion of the
sales to cover administrative costs. The
remainder—roughly $250,000 a year—
goes to what is dubbed the RED Fund.
RED stands for Research Education and Development. When the lobster license plate was created in 2002,
the Maine State Legislature formed the
RED Fund within the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR). The
DMR Commissioner appoints members
of the RED Board to oversee the fund.
According to Maine state statutes,
Continued from page 4
bait fish. In 2006, pogies made up only
seven percent of the bait used by lobstermen. That figure climbed to 19 percent
by 2008. Pogies sold as bait increased by
89 percent from 2006 to 2008 while the
amount of herring sold as bait decreased
by 47 percent.
Lobstermen also consider red fish as
an effective bait though they rank it third
in preference mostly because of its price
and availability. In 2008, lobstermen paid
an average of $0.60 per pound of red
fish—about double the price of herring.
Sources of local redfish are very limited with total US landings in 2008 less
than 1,100 mt (compared to 30,049 mt of
herring). Redfish racks and heads are imported predominantly from Canada with
some product coming from Germany.
Use of redfish as bait has increased only
slightly from three percent in 2006 to four
percent in 2008. Maine is currently advocating for the creation of an experimental
redfish fishery which could land 9,000 mt.
Can pogies provide a substitute for
herring?
The pogie fishery occurs along the
coast from Maine to Florida. It’s an open
access fishery with no catch quotas in place
for the commercial bait fishery. Many
states have regulations in place regulating
gear type and vessel size. Peak landings are
June through September with landings going strong through October. A fall fishery
beginning in late November off the Virginia and North Carolina coasts can often
see landings through February. The fishery may be strong in an area one year and
not the next.
About 75-80 percent of pogies landed
are used to make fish meal and other products such as fish oil health supplements.
The crab, lobster and hook and line
fisheries all use pogey bait to varying degrees. Typically, bait landings from Virginia and Maryland are sold to the crab
the Board must have members representing different factions of the lobster industry, including “a statewide association representing the interests of
persons who harvest lobster commercially,” an “association representing the
interests of persons who harvest lobster
commercially in Washington and Hancock counties” and a “southern Maine
association representing the interests of
persons who harvest
lobster commercially.” The statutes also
require representation from the Maine
Lobster Promotion
Council, the Lobster
Advisory Council,
dealers, processors
and pound owners.
The Board sets priorities for funding.
The most recent round of proposals
were due in February 2008.
The Board set three priorities for research: examining the impact of alternative bait, studying how substances such
as pesticides and contaminants affect
lobster health, and identifying stressors
on lobsters during their handling. Apfishery, while bait landings from New
Jersey to Maine are sold to the lobster
fishery. Landings from the South Atlantic are sold to crab and sports fishermen.
Small amounts of pogies have been sold
to Gulf States for use in crab and crawfish fisheries while some have been sold
to African countries as food.
If demand for pogey bait increases,
more effort will be put on this fishery.
However, the pogeyfishery is is largely a
coastal fishery(state waters) meaning the
larger vessels are likely to serve as carriers for the smaller seine boats. If the
fish concentrate in nearshore waters, the
larger vessels are likely to engage in the
fishery. And if the fish are in offshore
areas, the midwater fleet has the ability to catch pogies with the aid of spotter planes although the potential for this
fishery is largely uncertain.
The cost of pogies will most likely
increase. Fishing vessels will require rerigging and fish caught outside of New
England will require trucking or the use
of carrier vessels.
Moving bait by tractor trailer could
limit access to bait by small communities.
Smaller bait dealers don’t have the infrastructure and logistics in place for tractor
trailers to unload. The smaller dealers will
have to rely more on larger distributors
for access to bait.
Downeast fishermen are especially
vulnerable since they are at the end of
the trucking line.
About two thirds of herring bait is
caught June through December. Most of
Maine lobster is caught July through November. Herring bait landed during the
winter months can be salted and stored
by those who have access to cooler storage. Herring that is salted and stored in
coolers properly can last for about six
months.
Frozen herring is not a preferred bait
source. Many feel it is not effective in
catching lobsters, it is more expensive than
plicants could request up to $50,000 to
study one of the three topics.
The two priorities for development
were analyzing the bait industry and researching consumers’ buying habits and
their seafood preferences.
The Board’s single priority for education was the creation of a program that
could help interested lobstermen learn
business management skills.
The Board approved three proposals.
Dr. Deborah Bouchard
at the University of
Maine received $45,609
to study lobster stressors. Dr. Ian Bricknell
at the University of
Maine received $42,181
to study health risks of different lobster
baits. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) received $49,865 to organize LobsterBiz workshops and help
lobstermen with financial planning.
No development proposals were funded.
Also, the Board approved $250,000
to fund DMR lobster research and monitoring programs including the sea sampling program, port sampling, ventless
trap surveys and the lobster settlement
index. Federal funding cuts had threatened the future of these programs.
Wanting to further the efforts of
the Governor’s Task Force on the Economic sustainability of Maine Lobster
Industry, the RED Board approved the
release of up to $300,000 to implement
the recommendations of the task force.
Within that $300,000 is $40,000 for instate advertising and $260,000 for advertising and research projects. A transition
team of the Task Force will oversee the
use of the funds.
GMRI has posted its LobsterBiz materials on their website (gmri.org under
“community”). Though they originally
planned to have only one LobsterBiz
workshop, they were able to leverage
funding from other sources in order to
have another workshop later in the winter. Call 228-1645.
The two research projects funded by
the RED Fund are slated to conclude by
the end of October. However, they may
request an extension.
HYDRO-SLAVE
SAME DAY SERVICE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
“THINKING OF BUILDING A NEW BOAT?”
LET US QUOTE YOU ON A POWER STEERING OR A POT HAULER.
HAULERS AVAILABLE 8” TO 17”
• ALUMINUM BACKPLATE
• POLISHED STAINLESS BACKPLATE
• ALL STAINLESS HARDWARE
POWER STEERING AVAILABLE IN 5 CLASSES
• UP TO 120 FEET
• STAINLESS QUADRANT ASSEMBLIES
• STAINLESS HELMS
16” SPOKED WHEEL
• BRONZE
• CHROME
ELECTRIC CLUTCHES
HIGH EFFICIENCY VANE
PUMP
$544.70
5.5 HP HONDA POWER UNIT
• 11GPM @ 1500 PSI 2 Stage Pump
• Light, Versatile and Portable
• This unit will power 10”
and 12” and 14” Haulers
• Ideal for outboards and
other small boats
• Log Splitter
DUAL RAM
QUADRANT ASSEMBLY
• 100% Stainless Steel construction
• Rudder side thrust eliminated
• no stress on boat timbers
OUR NEW GENERATION SUPER BLOCKS
• 4” Low LIP and HI LIP
• 5” Low LIP and HI LIP
• 2000 lb. Capacity
• Sealed tapered
roller bearings
• Aluminum Sheaves
• Stainless Sheaves
WORLD’S LARGEST POT HAULER MFG. FOR OVER 40 YEARS
Call John for more information 1-800-747-7550 • Or visit us on
the internet: http://www.midcoast.com/~marinhyd/
MARINE HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
17 Gordon Drive • Rockland, Maine • Fax: 207-594-9721
Email: [email protected]
fresh herring and it poses logistical issues
if used on a large scale. It is sold in 45
pound blocks. Distribution requires freezer space, equipment to move pallets, and
the time and space to thaw the product.
The MLA is conducting surveys to
better understand Maine’s bait storage capacity. Lobstermen, coops and bait dealers can participate through a link to the
survey on the MLA website (mainelobstermen.org).
November 2009
Whales, continued from page 1
istration (NOAA) agreed that the case will not affect
Eldridge’s present or future federal fishing license.
Federal law requires fishermen to contact licensed
marine mammal rescue workers to disentangle any entangled whale. Fishermen are prohibited from doing it
themselves.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects all
marine mammals including whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, seal lions and walruses. People may not “take”
marine mammals, meaning they cannot hunt, harass,
capture or kill them without valid permits.
The Endangered Species Act also prohibits “taking” endangered marine mammals but defines “taking”
more broadly. Under its provisions, in addition to not
being able to hunt, harass, capture or kill endangered
marine mammals, people, entities, and federal and state
agencies may not harm, pursue, shoot, wound, trap, or
collect a listed endangered species without a valid permit. The Humpback, North American right whale, and
the fin whale are listed as endangered species.
These restrictions apply to government agencies
and scientists as well. NOAA can issue permits for scientific research, for take incidental to commercial fishing, and for public display at licensed institutions such
as aquaria and science centers. Lobstermen are not required to obtain permits to fish because commercial
lobstering is regulated under the Atlantic Large Whale
Take Reduction Plan.
The NOAA’s Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement
enforces these laws. Violators face criminal and civil
sanctions, including stiff fines, imprisonment, and potential forfeiture of their fishing license.
The Endangered Species Act also allows interested parties to file civil suits—meaning people can sue
NOAA in order to compel them to enforce the law or
even sue individual violators of the law. Violators of
the Endangered Species Act can be subject to penalties
of up to $25,000 per count per day.
®
Such was the situation for Massachusetts fisherman, Dan Holmes. Max Strahan, who calls himself
the Prince of Whales, sued Holmes for $1.1 million in
2007 because a humpback whale became entangled in
Holmes’ whale-compliant gear. The whale was successfully disentangled and swam away unharmed.
Usually, the names of fishermen involved in entanglement cases are kept confidential. However, the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) was courtordered to release Holmes’ name to Strahan during a
case filed by Strahan against the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
The court concluded that Holmes violated the
Endangered Species Act because his gear did “take”
a whale, reported Commercial Fisheries News in
a March 2009 article. The fact that it was accidental
was not relevant, the court said. The court, which has
jurisdiction to take away fishing permits, did not ban
Holmes from fishing. According to the Commercial
Fisheries News article, the judge wrote that banning
Holmes from fishing would cause him more harm than
any harm Holmes’ gear could potentially do to a whale
in the future.
Though tactics such as Strahan’s are extreme and
seldom deployed, they are possible through Section 11
of the Endangered Species Act.
The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan was
enacted in 1997 to help reduce whale entanglements
in fishing gear. The Plan created gear restrictions such
as sinking groundlines and a weak link in the buoy line
with a limited breaking strength.
Whales are also injured by ship strikes. In 2008,
NOAA implemented a plan to reduce the threat of
ship collisions with right whales. Vessels must maintain
a distance of 500 yards from a right whale to avoid a
whale strike. Vessels over 65 feet long must obey speed
restrictions by slowing to ten knots in areas known to
have large whales. These rules do not apply to vessels
owned, operated or under contract to the federal government or state enforcement vessels engaged in law
enforcement or search and rescue.
:N_V[R
=\dR_
@=206.916@0<B;A@<;.99
;2D0<::2?06.92;46;2=B?05.@2@
Model
C7 / Tier II
C9 / Tier II
C12 / Tier II
C15
C18 / Tier II
HP
460
500 / 575
660 / 700
800* / 850*
855 / 1000*
Discount
$2,000
$2,700
$3,400
$3,500
$4,000
2EA2;121@2?C6020<C2?.42
@.C2
"
\[NYY[Rd2@0P\[a_NPa`
*Remaining Tier I inventory
For details and a price quote, please contact your Milton CAT Marine Engine Sales Representative.
Maine / New Hampshire:
Stewart Tuttle 207-885-8082
Massachusetts / Rhode Island: Kevin Hampson 508-634-5503
www.miltoncat.com
9
On April 22 a federal research vessel for NOAA
hit an endangered right whale off the coast of Massachusetts. The boat was traveling 22 miles per hour in
four-foot seas when the whale surfaced about ten feet
in front of it. Although NOAA investigated the situation, no one was fined or prosecuted.
Fishing vessels account for a low percentage (0.3%)
of known large whale ship strikes. According to NOAA’s 2004 “Large Whale Ship Strike Database,” Navy
vessels accounted for the majority of whale strike incidents. Cargo ships (including container ships and
freighters) whale-watching vessels, cruise ships, ferries,
Coast Guard vessels, recreation vessels, steamships and
tankers similarly account for more ship strikes than
fishing vessels.
As part of the Maine Whale Take Reduction Plan,
the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) urges
Maine fishermen to call in reports and sightings of
whales and other marine mammals through a toll-free
hotline (800-532-9551). The DMR then reports to the
appropriate federal agencies and contacts responders, which may include DMR marine patrol officers
and lobstermen who have completed disentanglement
training. DMR also uploads the information into a
web-based interactive program to inform fishermen of
the known locations of whales so that precautionary
measures can be taken.
Fishermen should not attempt to disentangle a
whale themselves. Instead, DMR’s Erin Summers advises Maine fishermen to report entangled whales directly to the Whale hotline by cell phone. If a fisherman is unable to contact the Whale hotline directly, he
should instead contact the Coast Guard. Fishermen
are required to stand by until responders arrive at the
scene. This cooperation helps rescue teams locate the
whale.
DMR offers training to fishermen interested in
learning basic disentanglement and standby protocols to aid in authorized disentanglement procedures.
Anyone interested in such training should contact the
DMR directly.
10
November 2009
Lobster Harvest Days connect customers with lobstermen
By Hanna Wheeler
C
ommunities up and down the coast
organized Lobster Harvest Day
events throughout the month of October. The events underscored the importance of lobstering to Maine’s coastal
communities at a time when lobstermen
are faced with rising bait, fuel, and gear
costs coupled with low lobster prices.
Inspiration for Lobster Harvest Days
came from the success of lobster buying
days organized last year by volunteers in
Stonington, Georgetown, Rockland, and
other towns.
The Maine Lobster Promotion
Council supported this year’s volunteer
efforts through statewide advertising,
tee-shirt printing and flyer printing.
PORT CLYDE
The Port Clyde Fishermen’s Cooperative held their Lobster Harvest Day
on October 10 from noon to 5:00 p.m.
They sold 1,200 pounds of lobster—
two times their original goal.
Live lobster sold for $5 each, cooked
lobster for $6, lobster rolls for $10 and
lobster dinners for $10. Festival-goers
enjoyed lobster dinners on the dock
while listening to live music.
The festival took place on the coop wharf—recently restored due to the
cooperative efforts of local commercial
fishermen, the state’s Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program, and the Island Institute.
Proceeds from the event will go towards maintaining the working waterfront and furthering the lobstermen’s
direct-marketing efforts.
SCARBOROUGH
(submitted by Sue Bayley of Bayley’s Lobster Pound)
We at Bayley’s Lobster Pound participated in Lobster Harvest Days this
year by offering small lobsters at $5 each
and mediums at $6 each, live or cooked.
Customer response was good and a few
customers learned of the event through
the Maine Lobster Promotion Council’s
advertisements. We ran the promotion
in our retail market on Saturday and
Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. We
also sent emails and advertised in local
newspapers.
For those two days alone we sold
about 2,000 pounds of lobsters. That is
a little less than we sold last year for the
same weekend. Last year was a particularly good Columbus Day weekend because the reduced retail price of lobsters
was still a novelty to consumers and was
creating a buzz.
Though the prices this year were
good, and Canadian Thanksgiving was
the same weekend, which helps a lot
here in Pine Point, it seems that customers have become desensitized to low
prices. Customers responded positively
to selling lobster at a set price rather
than a per pound price. We were genuinely surprised at how positively people
reacted to the $6 each mediums.
Overall, the combination of decent
weather and the holiday weekend helped
us more than the state-wide advertising.
The vast majority of our customers were
from Boston or Canada, and they were
less likely to have heard the promotional
spots. Though we did draw local customers, more than one of them remarked
seeing roadside signs for
$3.49 and questioned the
$5 price.
BATH
Gilmore’s Sea Foods
held their Lobster Harvest Day on October 11.
Lobsters sold for $5 live
or cooked. They sold between 1,000 and 1,200
pounds. Ben Gilmore
of Gilmore’s Sea Foods
reports that they were
pleased with the results.
California siblings enjoy lobster in Port Clyde. Photo: Steve Cartwright
STONINGTON
(information taken from a SLWG press release)
The Stonington Lobster Working
Group (SLWG) held its second annual
“Lobster Sale on the Pier” on Sunday,
Oct. 11, at 1:00.
Live, 1 lb to 1-1/4 lb lobsters sold
for $5.25 each on the Stonington Fish
Pier in the middle of town. The lobster
working group set the price at a level
that reflects the value of the catch to the
island’s lobster industry and the Deer
Isle-Stonington community as a whole.
The lobsters, all caught by the local fleet,
were provided through the cooperation
of the Stonington Lobster Co-op with
the support of all the island’s private
dealers.
Proceeds from the day’s sale were donated to the Island Food Pantry and the
Island Heating Assistance Program.
The first “Lobster Sale on the Pier”
was held in October of 2008, when the
price of lobster was in a free-fall due to
the international financial crisis. It was
held to raise the general public’s awareness of the local lobster industry.
The Stonington Lobster Working
Group is a subgroup of the town’s Economic Development Committee.
WINTER HARBOR
The Winter Harbor lobster co-op
held a Lobster Harvest Day on October
11 from 9:00-3:30. Lobsters sold for $5
each live or cooked. They sold about 400
pounds of lobster.
GEORGETOWN
Georgetown residents held their first
Lobsterman Appreciation Day at the
Five Islands Lobster Company in 2008.
The event was a success—bringing in
approximately $14,000—and it encouraged the community to organize another
event this year.
Five Islands employee Georgia Watson-Kennett organized the event which
was held October 17. She was disappointed by this year’s smaller turnout
but they were still able to raise $8,216.
Lobsters sold for $5 each, live or
cooked. They also provided free coffee
and desserts.
RAYMOND
Fishermen’s Catch in Raymond hosted a Lobster Harvest Day on October
24. Heavy downpours dampened the
turnout so they ran the same specials on
October 25. Fishermen’s Catch is donating 50 cents of each sale to Camp Sunshine—a retreat for children with lifethreatening illnesses. They sold about 40
lobster rolls and about 500 pounds of
lobster on October 24. They sold about
350 pounds on October 25. Organizers
of the event said they were happy with it
and would do it again next year.
Enforcement update: News from the DMR
C
area cited a fisherman for short lobsters that will result in a fine of over $5,000 under the new penalty
structure.
olonel Joe Fessenden directs the Maine Marine
Patrol—the enforcement arm of the Maine
Department of Marine Resources (DMR). Colonel
Fessenden provided the information for this update.
PERSONNEL CHANGES
TRAP CUTTING
During the last month, several instances of trap cutting in western Penobscot Bay have diverted Marine
Patrol Officers from other areas of the state to address
complaints in that area.
CHANGES IN LOBSTER LAW VIOLATIONS
Changes in the lobster violation laws went into effect in September. Examples include: an increase in the
fine for the possession of scrubbed lobsters, the addi-
tion of theft to the list of offenses for which a marine
resources license may be suspended, and the increase
in fines for the possession of short or over-sized lobsters. Find a description of the full list of lobster violation laws changes in the October issue of the MLA
newsletter (www.mainelobstermen.org).
Colonel Fessenden reported that officers have been
routinely checking lobstermen and continue to find
most fishermen in compliance. However, Marine Patrol Officer Daniel White in the Damariscotta/ Bristol
Division 1, Section 1 (Kittery to Cape Elizabeth)
Marine Patrol Sergeant Richard LaFlamme has left
the BMP to join the Maine Warden Service. Sergeant
Daryen Granata has been promoted and will replace
LaFlamme.
SINKING GROUNDLINE COMPLIANCE
Colonel Fessenden reports that sinking groundline
compliance is high coast wide.
November 2009
11
DMR changes
Lobster Council to market Canadian lobster
reporting, seed T
lobster programs
T
he Maine Department of Marine
Resources (DMR) held a public hearing
on October 26 and accepted written comments through November 6 on two proposed
rulemakings affecting the lobster industry.
The proposed rules will affect the Harvester
Reporting Program and the Seed Lobster
Permit Program. The proposed change to the
Harvester Reporting Program will add “the
number of strings hauled” to the reporting
form in order to improve data collected on
gear configurations for use in vertical line
density estimates.
The proposed change to the Seed Lobster
Permit program will include changing the timing of the program season and disbursement
of funds. Lobster pound owners who qualify
for the Seed Lobster Fund Program are most
directly impacted by the changes. Proposed
changes to Seed Lobster Permit program have
been reviewed and supported by the Lobster
Advisory Council.
The Seed Lobster Permit program is supported by lobster license fees. It ensures a
good brood stock by purchasing egg-bearing
females that produce eggs while in captivity. The program distributes these “seed lobsters” to Maine coastal waters and lobster
hatcheries.
he Lobster Council of Canada was
announced in October at a meeting of the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers with the
hope that it will revive the struggling
Canadian lobster industry.
The 16-member council, a marketing and promotional body, has members from the four Atlantic provinces,
Quebec and First Nations. The Lobster Council of Canada, which began
as a concept in 2007, is comprised
of fishermen, processors and lobster
buyers.
Initial priorities of the Council include the development and implementation of a long-term marketing strategy, an active communications strategy
with industry and the development of
a self-funding model for the organization beyond the first two years.
According to Ed Frenette, the
executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association, the industry is
looking towards stability, “at fair and
reasonable shore prices for our harvesters that will lead to proper prices
in the marketplace for the processing
sector,” reported the Journal Pioneer
in an October 16 article.
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Gail Shea, who announced the formation of the council, said the group
would be responsible for several aspects of the lobster industry.
“We have a finite resource here. We
have 100 million pounds of lobster
and we have to maximize the benefit
to the region but we can’t do that if
we’re always working against each other,” said Shea in an October 15 CBC
News report.
The Council headquarters will be
based in Halifax and an executive director is now being recruited. The four
Atlantic Provinces, the Government
of Quebec and the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans will collectively
provide about $370,000 in direct funding to the organization over the next
two years.
Visit www.lobstercouncilcanada.ca
for more information.
Maine requests federal assistance for shellfish
industry
M
aine’s Congressional delegation
jointly submitted a letter urging
the US Department of Commerce
to consider Governor John E. Baldacci’s request for federal assistance
and declare a fisheries disaster for the
Maine shellfish industry.
The letter cited the closure of 97%
of Maine’s shellfish beds over the
spring and summer due to red tide
as well as the closure of 100% of the
offshore beds in federal waters. About
3,000 harvesters and dealers rely economically upon shellfish beds. The
Maine Department of Marine Re-
sources (DMR) estimates the value of
the shellfish industry at approximately
450 million.
The letter urged the Department
of Commerce to make funds available.
Nobel prize winner heralds success
of Maine lobster industry
E
linor Ostrom has been awarded the
Nobel Prize for Economics. In an
interview with Nobelprize.org following
the announcement of her award on October 12, Ostrom cited the experience of the
Maine lobster industry as an example of how
common management of common resources
can be successful.
“In the 1920s, they almost destroyed the
lobster fishery. They regrouped and thought
hard about what to do and over time developed a series of ingenious rules and ways of
monitoring that have meant that the lobster
fishery in Maine is among the most successful in the world,” she said.
GOMLF to collect ghost gear
The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation (GOMLF) has been awarded a
grant to begin a pilot project this winter
to collect and dispose of ghost lobster
gear along the Maine coast. Through this
project, GOMLF will contract with local
lobstermen to assist with the clean-up efforts. Funding is being provided by The
Gulf of Maine Environmental Compli-
ance and Protection Fund. The Fund is
managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Criminal fines incurred
by shipping companies who pollute in
Maine waters feed into the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation.
DMR to collect gear density data
T
he Maine Department of Marine
Resources (DMR) is asking Maine
lobstermen to fi ll out a gear density log as
part of the annual lobster license renewal.
According to the DMR, “this log will be
used to determine the density of gear that
exists in different fishing areas. The information will help managers determine if,
where and how regulations are needed in
an effort to avoid blanket measures that
effect the entire industry.” Lobstermen
are asked to complete the log by estimating the maximum traps fished and maximum vertical lines fished for each month
of the previous year. The data will be collected according to the zone fished, further broken down into categories including: exempted state waters, non-exempted
state waters, sliver, and federal waters.
12
November 2009
Maine Lobster Chef of the Year crowned
An update from the Maine
Lobster Promotion Council
T
Mackenzie Arrington is the 2009 Maine Lobster Chef of the year.
By Hanna Wheeler
B
oothbay Harbor native Mackenzie Arrington
is winner of this year’s Maine Lobster Chef
of the Year contest. His roasted Maine lobster tail
on braised cabbage with cornbread got him the
title and a $1,000 check from the Maine Lobster
Promotion Council. Arrington is 22 and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America just a
week before the event. He is the son of last year’s
winner, Margaret McLellan.
Contestants prepared their dishes in front of
an audience, cooking-show style, with Kathleen
Shannon of WCSH-TV emceeing the event.
“I could’ve eaten a whole tray of that,” said
Yarmouth lobsterman Elliot Thomas after sampling Arrington’s winning dish.
The chef contest is sponsored by the Maine
Lobster Promotion Council. Marianne LaCroix
Photo: Hanna Wheeler
of the promotion council said, “The lobster industry has received an incredible amount of positive press coverage as a result of the event.”
The sold-out event was part of Harvest on
the Harbor. This is the first year that the contest
has been open to the public.
Harvest on the Harbor promotes Maine as
a food-lovers destination. It is organized by the
Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Arrington reminded the audience of the
contribution that Maine fishermen make to the
culinary world. “When you buy your lobster, go
straight to the source. Support your local lobstermen,” he said.
Shannon’s opening remarks also highlighted
the connection between the high class event and
Maine lobstermen. “Hopefully, this will give the
lobster industry a boost,” she said.
he Maine Lobster Promotion Council is running a marketing campaign designed to increase awareness of and
demand for Maine Lobster as a fall food. The campaign has
several related components, including advertising, events and
public relations.
The MLPC expanded the fall advertising program through
a grant from the Research, Education and Development Fund
and additional funds authorized for the purpose from the MLPC
Board. They developed a television ad featuring lobstermen
Clive Farrin and John Ready that will run from mid-October
until Thanksgiving. The MLPC reports that they are limiting the
advertising campaign to Maine markets in order to take advantage of desirable advertising rates and proven effectiveness with
an audience predisposed to support the lobster industry.
The MLPC’s annual ‘Maine Lobster Chef of the Year’ competition, traditionally held in the summer, was moved to fall this
year to highlight the peak lobster harvest season. The MLPC
opened the event to the public to allow for dramatically increased publicity and more first-hand exposure. The event was
held October 23 as a part of Harvest on the Harbor, one of the
country’s top fall wine and food festivals.
Throughout October, local communities hosted Maine Lobster Harvest Days events. The MLPC supported the communities’ efforts with a two-week radio campaign, print advertising
and posters. Consumers were very positive about the flat rate
pricing.
The MLPC generated media coverage for the fall advertising
campaign, the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year event and the
Maine Lobster Harvest Days. Publications such as the Working
Waterfront, the Portland Press Herald, and the Associated Press
carried articles about MLPC activities. Press releases and news
articles are on the MLPC’s website under ‘News.’ The MLPC
highlights positive developments within the lobster industry and
works to minimize negative publicity whenever possible.
November 2009
Maine restaurateurs and Maine
lobstermen, a common bond
By Richard Grotton
Maine restaurateurs and Maine lobster
harvesters have a great deal in common.
They are both fiercely independent, and
both rely on seasonal customers whose
behaviors can be greatly affected by outside influences like the weather and the
economy.
This has been a difficult year for everyone. Every industry has its own set of
cost components that those outside the
industry simply do not understand. Lobster harvesters and restaurant operators
have this in common as well.
Some might believe that because lobster
harvesters pluck their catch from the sea the
product is free. They see a sign on a pickup
truck beside the road offering lobster at
$3.50 a pound and assume it is all profit.
What they don’t consider are the costs involved in obtaining a license, buying, repairing and replacing traps and line, bait costs,
the cost of buying and maintaining a boat
and its equipment and fuel. Once you add it
up, that free lobster gets
pretty costly. They assume the traps are full
on every trip. And, they
surely don’t understand
the toll it takes on the
body to do that work
season after season. The harvester is truly the
only one who understands the costs involved
and where that all-important breakeven point
comes.
Similarly, those not in the restaurant business do not understand all of the costs associated with purchasing, preparing and serving
products like lobster. It is easy to understand
why the lobster harvester might wonder, if the
price of lobster is so low/less than in recent
memory/at an all-time low, why aren’t prices
for lobster-based menu items falling too?
A well-run restaurant simply must operate within a range of 30% to 36% food
cost in order to cover the extensive labor,
energy, insurance, rent or mortgage and
tax expenses required to produce a 3%
-6% bottom line pre-tax profit (based on
national averages).
Historically, lobster is a product that is
expensive for a restaurant to obtain, but also
costly in terms of preparation and space to
store, rotate, and serve. Despite these challenges, the majority of Maine restaurants are
committed to featuring the state’s edible icon
because lobster enjoys strong consumer demand. Therefore, the restaurant is obliged
to have lobster available, almost regardless
of the purchase price, in order to satisfy the
consumer in search of their special summer
treat. Depending on market conditions, the
contribution to restaurant profit is sometimes
meager at best.
A typical restaurant paid between
$3.50 and $5.00 a pound for new shell
product this summer depending on their
source of supply, boat versus dealer
price, and proximity to the coast. Utilizing those prices while understanding the
need to maintain a maximum 36% food
cost, a typical restaurant would price the
meal in this fashion:
Calculating the average lobster cost at
$4.25/lb x 1.25 lbs. = $5.3125 raw lobster food cost. Add drawn butter, side
salad, chips, and utensils and you arrive
at a combined food cost of $7.2825. This
would result in a $20.25 retail price for
the meal ($7.2825 is 36% food cost of
$20.25). All of that retail price except for
$1.01 (5% profit) goes to pay the overhead.
When you apply the same calculations
to the more expensive hard shell lobster
with an average summer price of $7.00 a
pound or more the combined food cost
goes to $10.72 and the restaurateur is
looking at a
menu price of
$29.00 for the
meal. Many
Maine restaurants charge
less per lobster meal than the food cost equation
suggests, featuring new shells at $14.95
and hard shells at $24.00. Their food cost
in this case is much higher than other
items on the menu and that important
contribution to profit all but disappears
in the overhead and labor if they aren’t
selling in quantity.
So while the lobster harvester may expect that because the price of lobster was
lower this year than in the past, the above
example explains that this year was the
year when many restaurants broke even,
or did not lose money on the lobster
meals they served.
The restaurant industry is very aware that
this has been a difficult year for the lobster
trade. Because of that, the Maine Restaurant
Association repeatedly encouraged our restaurant members to feature lobster specials,
and to buy and use more lobster product then
ever, and many did.
In so many ways, the good fortunes
of lobster harvesters and restaurateurs in
Maine rely on similar factors, for ours is a
tourism based economy and our summer
guests identify the flavor of Maine with
lobster. We are highly supportive of the
harvesters who catch them and the dealers who stock them and make them readily available to our restaurants. Representing the restaurant industry, we are proud
of the restaurant’s role
in marketing and promoting lobster to more
than 32 million Maine
visitors each year!
Guest Column
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS CARD IN
THE MLA NEWSLETTER
Richard Grotton is
president and CEO of the
Maine Restaurant Association.
13
14
November 2009
Meeting Round-up
ZONE F (September 30)
Yarmouth, ME: The Zone F Council members
discussed the potential impacts of the anticipated cut
in herring quota beginning in 2010. Members expressed general concern over the potential for herring
shortages and increases in bait prices. Many were not
alarmed because the majority of Zone F lobstermen
fish with pogies. The issues of the Zone F/G buffer
and double-tagging requirement were raised as a point
of ongoing frustration for many Zone F lobstermen.
The Zone F sentiment is that their interests were not
adequately represented in previous discussions of the
zone lines. A Zone F representative will raise this issue
the next Zone G meeting.
Members are concerned that the Zone G Council
will not entertain proposals on this topic. Informal discussions with Zone G lobstermen will be pursued to
identify potential solutions.
Several topics relating to improving the lobster market and price were discussed. A proposal to positively
impact the lobster market by taking Saturdays and Sundays off was not supported. A proposal to change the
gauge mid-season as a way to land less lobster and improve quality was discussed, and feedback will be solicited at the district level for future discussion. The DMR
has not submitted legislation to form a new lobster science and marketing entity, which would have required a
shared contribution from harvesters and dealers. Zone
F expressed the need to understand the potential return on any investment made by lobstermen for future
marketing.
DMR provided several updates.
• Trap tag fees will remain the same for next year,
but they could increase in the future due to budget
shortfalls.
• The DMR has submitted a bill to allow processors
the flexibility to process a full array of lobster products
including.
• License renewals will include a log to estimate the
amount of vertical lines fished to help with the whale
plan.
• There are no ocean energy test sites anticipated
for the Zone F area.
• There has been no opposition to ASMFC’s Addendum XV to limit new effort into the Area 1 lobster
fishery. If this is implemented, only Area 1 permits
with trap history during the qualification period will be
able to fish.
• Several environmental groups have submitted a
petition to expand critical whale habitat in the Gulf
of Maine. DMR has proposed minor changes to rules
for harvester reporting and the Seed Lobster Permit
program. The next Zone F meeting is schedule for
December 3 at 6pm.
ZONE D (October 8)
Rockland, ME: The Zone D Council re-elected
existing officers for another year. Significant discussion was held around the anticipated cut in herring
quotas beginning next year. Many expressed that this
will come down to survival of the fittest. Those with
enough money to afford bait will survive; others will
not. Others were very concerned about the availability
of bait next year and discussed ideas to decrease the
lobster industry’s demand for bait. Specifically, the issue of the quality of summer lobsters was raised. The
Council discussed the potential to reduce fishing effort
when the lobster product is poor as way to decrease
bait demand. Possibilities include seasonal restrictions,
shorter work weeks or fewer traps
Lobstermen are still learning how to cope with sinking groundlines, but they anticipate fewer problems
with it during the fall and winter than at other times of
the year because they are fishing less frequently. Lob-
stermen will be faced with a difficult decision next season of whether or not to continue to fish badly chaffed
rope or to replace it with new rope.
Lobstermen continue to be frustrated over low lobster prices. Many see potential in marketing their own
lobsters, but have not found it to be feasible. Others
expressed frustration over restaurants continuing to
sell lobster at “market price” and believe it discourages
customers from buying it. A Tenants Harbor lobsterman provided an update on the recent completion of
their trap density study
Maine DMR provided a several updates (see Zone
F Summary). The state has held a follow-up meeting in
Zone D with Monhegan fishermen to further discuss
the potential for ocean energy test sites around that
area.
ZONE E (October 14)
Wiscasset, ME: The Zone E Council met, but did
not have a quorum. The DMR will reach out to Zone
Council members to work with them to ensure feedback from Zone E on important issues such as the
anticipated herring shortage. The state plans to conduct further outreach in the Wiscasset area to further
discuss potential for locating ocean energy test sites in
that area.
ASMFC / NEFMC JOINT HERRING MEETING
(October 6)
Portland, ME: A joint ASMFC/NEFMC herring
meeting was held to discuss the specifications for area
quotas over the next 3 years. The joint committees
expressed concern over the level of uncertainty with
the recent stock assessment results and the recommended Acceptable Biologic Catch (ABC) of 90,000
metric tons (mt) by the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC). It was clarified that the Council is bound
by law to follow the scientific recommendations of the
SSC and although a socio-economic analysis will be
conducted on all management options, the results will
not have any impact on the SSC’s recommendation for
ABC.
The joint committees questioned whether the new
legal requirement to incorporate the SSC’s recommendation for ABC could be delayed until 2011 because
the herring fishery is not overfished and overfishing is
not occurring. NMFS legal counsel cited a lawsuit that
has been filed related to this issue, but speculated it is
unlikely to be resolved by the court in time to affect
decisions on herring quota allocations for next year.
The Herring Plan Development Team scientists
presented a risk analysis of mixing ratios on the inshore
and offshore stocks, and recommended a drastically
reduced quota of around 10,000 mt for Area 1A to
prevent overfishing; a 50,000 mt reduction from 2006.
The joint committees recommended that six options
be analyzed under two scenarios: 1) ABC of 145,000
mt in 2010 and 90,000 mt in 2011 and 2012 and 2)
ABC of 90,000 mt for the next three years. The stock
assessment indicates a fishing mortality rate (FMSY)
of .24 as the target that will not adversely impact the
stock. The joint committees requested that options be
analyzed which meet a target FMSY range of .24 to
.28. All of the alternatives developed with an ABC of
145,000 mt exceed this target range. An Area 1A quota
of 22,000 mt in Area 1A has an FMSY of .37, which is
well above the target range.
The joint committees will reconvene on November
10 to review the analysis and to discuss final recommendations for allocations of herring quota for 20102012. The NEFMC will approve this recommendation
at their November meeting. The final package will not
be implemented by NMFS until early 2010.
MLA DIRECTORS (October 7)
Belfast, ME: MLA Directors received a copy of the
October newsletter and were pleased with the revamping and improving the newsletter. The Board voted to
continue with in-house advertising sales and support
for the newsletter. Membership renewals continue to
arrive steadily. The membership year ended on August
31. Approximately 60% of members have renewed to
date. We must continue to remind our members that
it is time to renew, and that the organization depends
on their support.
Deirdre Gilbert from Maine DMR updated the Directors on DMR’s decision not to move forward with
legislation to establish a new lobster science and marketing entity during the upcoming session. Instead,
the DMR will work with the Lobster License Plate
Research, Education, and Development Fund (RED
Fund) to hire an outreach coordinator. The outreach
coordinator will get feedback from the lobster industry
on the advantages and disadvantages of increasing the
level of industry investment in marketing. The MLA
Directors indicated that they would like MLA to remain involved on this issue and to assist with the education and outreach campaign.
Six bill titles related to the lobster industry have
been submitted for consideration in the next legislative session, as well as five additional bills submitted
by Maine DMR. The Legislative Council will vote on
which bills will move forward in mid-October with a
final list available in early November. There are also
a few carry over bills from last session including the
saltwater fishing license. On the management front, the
comment period closes on October 9 for ASMFC draft
Addendum XV to the lobster plan. Several environmental groups have joined together and filed a petition
to expand critical habitat for large whales to include the
entire Gulf of Maine. NMFS has 12 months to make a
determination. There will be an opportunity for public
comment on this if it moves forward. The MLA will
continue to monitor this issue.
MLA Directors were updated on the anticipated
bait shortage next year. MLA’s staff attorney explained
that the MLA cannot fight the slated cuts in quota as
they are mandated under the law, and socio-economic
impacts will not be taken into account when considering the amount of quota available. The MLA Directors requested that staff conduct research to determine
our current bait supply and the potential for baits other
than herring to make up for the reduction in herring
landings. The MLA is campaigning for a new herring
assessment and is urging NMFS to open an experimental redfish fishery in the Gulf of Maine which has potential to land 9,000 mt. The next MLA meetings will
be November 4 and December 2 at 5pm at Darby’s in
Belfast.
Enter to win the Maine
lobstermen photo contest
Winners will receive gift certificates from one of
our member businesses.
The categories are:
• Best crew shot
• Best scenic
• Best lobster/ bait close-up
• Best action shot
Photos can be color or black and white.
Submit photos to mainelobsterphotocontest@
gmail.com. Deadline is December 15.
November 2009
Meeting Round-up
ASMFC ADDENDUM XV PUBLIC HEARINGS (Sept 21, Oct 6, Oct 7)
Portland, Rockland and Ellsworth,
ME: Draft Addendum XV proposes to
maintain the historic level of trap fishing
effort (2004 – 2008) and curtail a potential influx of new federal lobster vessels
in LCMA 1 federal waters fishery (3 –
200 miles from shore).
The Draft Addendum also proposes
to limit entry of vessels which have not
fished with traps in LCMA 1 in the past
from fishing in Area 1 with traps in the
future. Ultimately, whatever actions are
approved will be in the form of recommendations to the National Marine
Fisheries Service for action in the federal
waters portion of LCMA 1. Attendance
at the public hearings was minimal, and
no concerns were raised.
supported the Draft Addendum in a letter to the ASMFC stating its support to
maintain historic trap fishing effort in
Wind
Area 1 by preventing conversion of new
effort from other lobster management
areas and the non-trap fishery into Area
1. The ASMFC Lobster Board will review this addendum at their November
meeting.
MAINE COASTAL WATERS
CONFERENCE (October 28)
Northport, ME: The second Maine
Coastal Waters Conference, an all day
event, featured informative presentations and discussions about climate
change, sea level rise, ocean energy and
community participation in ocean management. Keynote speakers included
Monica Medina, Senior Advisor to the
NOAA Administrator, Angus S. King,
Jr., former Governor, state of Maine,
and Susi Moser, Ph. D., Climate Researcher, Susanne Moser
CORRECTIONS
In the October issue of the MLA newsletter, we reported that, “In 2009,
the herring fishery landed 20,000 mt in just two landing days in August.” That
should read, “...landed 20,000 mt in just two landing days per week in August.”
Po Box 37, Stonington, ME 04681
CFN has the lastest :
Market Reports
Along the Coast
State news columns
Enforcement Report
News Catch
Lobster boat races
New Boats
And more...
Other favorites include:
Classifieds
Brian Robbins’ Bearin’s
Fleet additions
Letters to the Editor!
So subscribe today
and you get a great
deal as a member of this
association. Only $18.75 for
one year and save more than
$14.00 off the regular newsstand
rate. WOW, what a savings!
Call Katie
800-989-5253
Mention this Code: MLA
nents necessary to develop deep-water,
offshore wind power, including floating
platforms, anchoring systems, and new
lightweight blade composites.
They will also monitor the impacts, if
any, of offshore wind systems on the environment. The law mandates that one site be
designated as a wind energy research center
operated by the University of Maine. State
agencies are required to identify the sites by
December 15.
The DOC is making public a memo
called “Draft Site Selection Methodology” that describes the analysis and ranking methodology used to identify the
four draft sites. Maps of the four draft
sites are also available online, along
with the memo on methodology, at the
15
Department of Conservation’s website.
The four draft sites are not final.
Marvinney said his team will accept
written comment from the general public and stakeholders until November 30.
“We’re far from done. This process
is transparent, and I urge anyone who
wants to submit an opinion, or technical data, to write to the Department of
Conservation,” Marvinney said.
Marvinney said comments can be
submitted online at the DOC website,
and written comments on the draft sites
can be mailed to:
Wind Energy Site Selection
c/o Dan Prichard
Department of Conservation
22 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0022
16
November 2009
MLA takes action on herring cuts
Address to NOAA, NEFMC, and ASMFC
October 14, 2009
Dear Dr. Lubchenco, Dr. Thompson, Mr. Howard and Mr. O’Shea:
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) is an industry association representing the interests of Maine’s commercial lobster industry. The MLA is extremely concerned with the results of the most recent stock assessment completed by the Transboundary Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC) as well as the resulting recommendation from the Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) to set the Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) at 90,000MT, and proposals to greatly reduce allowable catches
in the herring management areas.
We urge you to address the scientific inadequacies of the herring data and corresponding assessment because the resulting management action to reduce quota will
have severe economic impacts on the lobster industry and our coastal communities. The MLA recommends several actions to allow for sound management of the herring
resource while minimizing extreme economic hardships.
• The MLA recommends that the 2009 Atlantic Herring specifications be carried forward for one year for the 2010 season. The TRAC determined the stock is not
overfished and overfishing is not occurring. Fishing mortality has consistently been below FMSY. National Standard 1 Guidelines allow for the ABC to be equal to the
Over Fishing Limit (OFL). Setting the ABC = OFL would allow 2009 specifications to be carried forward for one year, during which time a new benchmark assessment
must be completed.
• The MLA recommends that a new benchmark assessment be conducted as early as possible, to address the high level of uncertainty in the assessment results. The
benchmark assessment should be completed in time to ensure its use in revising the herring specification package for the 2011 fishing season. National Standard 2 Guidelines state that SSCs should advise their Councils regarding the best scientific information available for fishery management decisions. The SSC recommended “a new
benchmark assessment should be scheduled as soon as possible to address sources of uncertainty, re-estimate MSY reference points and consider including estimates of
consumption and spatial structure in the assessment.”
• The MLA recommends that funding be prioritized to conduct research to more accurately assess the herring stock structure and biomass, particularly, to more accurately measure the proportions of spawning stocks within the herring stock complex. Of particular concern is obtaining an accurate measurement of the inshore stock
component which is subject to high levels of fishing effort and has long provided the primary bait supply for the lobster industry. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute
(GMRI) has proposed to conduct such research and is ready to complete this important work.
• The MLA recommends that the U.S. engage Canada in bilateral management of the resource. The U.S. portion of the herring stock complex is highly regulated
through the Area 1A TAC, while the landings from the Canadian portion of the inshore stock component occur annually without restriction. With U.S. quotas for Area
1A slated to be reduced by as much as 85% from 2006 levels, it is unacceptable for the Canadian landings to continue without regulation. This is not an equitable sharing
of the resource. Furthermore, the Canadian fishery targets young fish which could adversely affect the strength of future year classes.
• The MLA supports the Maine Department of Marine Resources proposal to develop an experimental fishery for Acadian redfish. If this fishery is put in place, it
has the potential to offset at least some of the loss of herring quota.
The recommended ABC will cripple the Maine lobster industry which already has been struggling to adjust to the 1/3 reduction in herring quota since 2006. Recent
discussions by the New England Fishery Management Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reveal that the Area 1A quota could be set as low as 9,000
MT up to 20,000 MT, far below the 60,000 MT quota on which the lobster industry has depended on. That translates into a loss of up to 1.4 million bushel of bait in 2010
as compared to 2006. This impact is massive; bait will simply not be available for many, and lobstermen cannot fish without bait.
The resulting tight bait supply will lead to corresponding increases in the cost of bait. According to a 2006 study conducted by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute
(Lobster Socioeconomic Impact Survey, Gulf of Maine Research Institute,2006), the average lobsterman spent 14% of gross revenue on bait in 2006. The MLA estimates
that during this year, that figure increased to 25%, due to a 30% drop in boat price and a 20% increase in bait price. The MLA estimates that 35% to 40% of an average
lobsterman’s gross revenue will be spent on bait under the projected scenarios. Because most lobster businesses are already struggling to make a profit this year, any significant increase in the cost of bait threatens to put lobstermen out of business. Many will not be able to afford bait and, therefore, won’t be able to afford to go lobstering.
Lobstermen who fish baits other than herring will not be spared the effects of this crisis, as the demand for herring alternatives will skyrocket creating shortages and
pushing the price for all bait products beyond the reach of many lobstermen.
In an effort to cope with the 1/3 cut in Area 1A quota over the past two years, the lobster industry has made strides in reducing the amount of herring used, diversifying the types of baits used, and adding storage and holding capacity for bait. The impact of holding capacity varies widely depending on size and number of fishermen
serviced, and the impact ranges from providing a few days worth of bait up to a three week supply. Despite these efforts, the Maine lobster industry has experienced bait
shortages in 2008 and 2009.
This year, with a June opening and only two landing days per week, 20,000 MT were landed from Area 1A before the end of August; 9,000 MT were harvested by midJuly. The Maine lobster fishery operates year round, however, 83% of the landings occur over a five month period from July through November; and more than 20% of
landings occur during October. It is difficult to conceive how there will be any herring available to fish our lucrative fall months when the majority of profits are earned in
the lobster fishery. And Downeast lobstermen could be most severely impacted because their fishery occurs later in the season when compared to other areas.
The impact of a reduction in quota will be felt far beyond the lobster industry in Maine. In 2008, Maine’s 5,800 owner-operator lobstermen landed a catch valued at
$245 million and contributed nearly a billion dollars to their local economy. The lobster industry is the economic backbone of many coastal communities. If lobstermen
are not able to fish due to bait shortages or inability to afford bait, the economic stability of many Downeast and island communities will be threatened.
The MLA is ardent supporter of stewardship of our precious ocean resources that allow for sustainable harvests for our fishermen today, while ensuring a sustainable
future for future generations. The Maine lobster fishery is healthy and sustainable, and we support this same approach in managing the herring fishery. However, the science
fueling the massive reductions in herring landings over the next three years are overwhelmed with uncertainty. Given that the resource is not overfished and overfishing
is not occurring, we strongly urge you to support carrying the 2009 specification package forward by setting the ABC = OFL (as allowed under National Standard 1), and
ensure that a new benchmark assessment be completed for the herring fishery in time to set new quotas in time for the 2011 fishing season.
Maine’s lobster industry and our coastal communities will depend on it.
Thank you for your consideration of this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
Patrice McCarron, MLA Executive Director
Senator Olympia Snowe
Senator Susan Collins
Representative Chellie Pingree
Representative Michael Michaud
New England Fishery Management Council (Herring Committee via Lori Steele)
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Herring Section via Chris Vonderweidt)
Commissioner George Lapointe, Maine Dept of Marine Resources
November 2009
17
Maine Lobstermens Association Member Business Listing
AUTO DEALERS
Credit Now Auto Company
John Linnehan’s
PO Box 553
Ellsworth, ME 04605
207-667-2750
AUTO/TRUCK BODIES
Hews Company LLC
190 Rumery St
South Portland, ME 04106
207-767-2136 800-234-4397
[email protected]
www.hewsco.com
BAIT DEALERS
Bessy Bait LLC
Warehouse: 155 R Batchelder Rd,
Seabrook, NH 03874
2 Mase Rd
Hampton, NH 03842
603-300-2846; 603-300-2849
[email protected]
www.bessybait.com
Cape Porpoise Lobster Co Inc
Allen Daggett
184 Beachwood Ave
Kennebunkport, ME 04046
207-967-0900
[email protected]
www.capeporpoiselobster.com
Clawdia’s Secret
Pat Pinto
516 Blackstrap Point Rd
Falmouth, ME 04105
[email protected]
www.clawdiassecret.com
Eaton Trap Co Inc
Marty Eaton
12 Birchwood Rd
Woolwich, ME 04579
207-443-3617
[email protected]
Lund’s Fisheries Inc
David Brand
997 Ocean Dr
Cape May, NJ 08204
609-884-7600
[email protected]
www.lundsfish.com
O’Hara Corportation
Wyatt Anderson
120 Tillson Ave
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-0405
[email protected]
Purse Line Bait
Jenni Bichrest
Bakers Wharf Rd
PO Box 276
Sebasco Estates, ME 04565
207-389-9155
BOAT BROKERAGE
Novi Boat Brokers
Dane A Devine
21 Hawthorne St
Yarmouth, NS B5A 1K3
Canada
902-742-7207
[email protected]
www.noviboatbrokers.com
DOCUMENTATION SERVICE
Coastal Documentation
111 Dennision Rd
Spruce Head, ME 04859
207-596-6575
[email protected]
www.coastaldocumentation.com
Northeast Marine Survey, Inc
Jason Hillman
PO Box 231
Bailey Island, ME 04003
207-833-0954
[email protected]
www.northeastmarinesurvey.us
10% off the commercial rate
for MLA members
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
Blackmore Electronics
Blaine E Blackmore
PO Box 82
Stonington, ME 04681
207-367-2703
[email protected]
Pete’s Marine Electronics
Peter Grant
101 Washington Rd
Waldoboro, ME 04572
207-350-2500
[email protected]
Sawyer & Whitten Marine
Mike Whitten
416 Commericial St
Portland, ME 04101
207-879-4500
118 Tillson Ave
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-7073
[email protected]
www.sawyerwhitten.com
FINANCE & INVESTMENT
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
Andrew X Sankey
PO Box 400
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-3314
Damariscotta Bank & Trust Co
Denise Brenner
25 Main St
PO Box 999
Damariscotta, ME 04543
207-563-8121
www.damariscottabank.com
Chase Leavitt Co
72 Commercial St
PO Box 589
Portland, ME 04112
207-772-6383
218 Bucksport Rd
Ellsworth, ME 04605
207-667-9390
www.chaseleavitt.com
Grundens USA Ltd
PO Box 2068
Poulsbo, WA 98370
800-323-7327
[email protected]
www.grundens.com
Guy Cotton Inc.
Patrick Jaquer
782 South Water St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-997-7075
[email protected]
www.guycottonusa.com
Hamilton Marine
155 E. Maine st.
Searsport, ME 04974
207-548-2985
100 Fore St.
Portland, ME 04101
207-774-1772
20 Park Dr
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-8181
hamiltonmarine.com
Discounts for MLA members
Jacksons Hardware & Marine
Lisa Corcoran
PO Box 287
Kittery, ME 03904
207-439-1133
Farm Credit of Maine ACA
Robert Horne
615 Minot Ave
Auburn, ME 04210
207-784-0193 800-831-4230
[email protected]
www.farmcreditmaine.com
Logtek Inc
Tim Bourque & James Roy
Box 98, RR 2
Tusket, NS BOW 3M0 Canada
207-510-1763 or 888-840-1089
[email protected],
[email protected]
www.logtek.com
Machias Savings Bank
4 Center St
PO Box 318
Machias, ME 04654
207-255-3347
www.machiassavings.com
Maine Coast Petroleum, Inc
Dale O’Neal
PO Box 295
Tenants Harbor, ME 04860
207-372-6962
[email protected]
Maine Financial Group Inc
Jim Amabile
PO Box 1689
Scarborough, ME 04074
800-974-9995 800-974-9995
Midcoast Marine Supply
153 New County Rd
Thomaston, ME 04861
207-594-0011
[email protected]
www.midcoastmarinesupply.com
The First
Sarah Matel
PO Box940
207-563-3195 800-564-3195
[email protected]
www.the1st.com
SUPPLIERS
Atlantis Marine Gear Supply Inc
Boyd Jackson
418 Boston St (RT 1)
Topsfield, MA 01983
978-887-0001
ww.amgs.com
10% Discount to MLA Members
Bath Lobster Supply
340 State Rd, Suite B
West Bath, ME 04530
207-386-3225
www.brookstrapmill.com
Neptune Inc
39 Slater St
Attleboro, MA 02703
508-222-8313 800-642-7113
[email protected]
www.neptune-inc.com
Neptune Marine Products Inc
Ed Wyman
PO Box 17417
Seattle, WA 98127
206-789-3790
[email protected]
www.neptunemarineproducts.com
New England Marine & Industrial
200 Spaulding Turnpike
Portsmouth, NH 03801
603-436-2836 800-492-0779
[email protected]
www.newenglandmarine.com
Novatec Braids Ltd
Neal Prescott
PO Box 735
Yarmouth, ME 04096
207-846-8657
[email protected]
www.novabraid.com
Plantes Lobster Escape Vents Inc
Eric and Jocelyn Dedoes
3628 Turner Ridge Rd
Somerville, ME 04348
207-549-7204
[email protected]
www.plantebuoysticks.com
Polyform US
Tom Case
7030 S 224th
Kent, WA 98032
253-872-0300
[email protected]
www.polyformus.com
Rose’s Marine
Don Favaloro
375 Main St
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-283-3334 800-283-3334
[email protected]
www.rosesmarine.com
Superior Marine Products Inc
Dean C Bridges
15 Murray Drive
Raymond, ME 04071
207-655-4492
[email protected]
www.superiormarineprod.com
GIFTS
Elobsterman.com
William Pierce
164 Wessagussett Rd
Weymouth, MA 02191
[email protected]
www.elobsterman.com
HYDRAULICS
Coastal Hydraulics Inc
28 Route 286
PO Box 2832
Seabrook, NH 03874
603-474-1914
[email protected]
10% discount for MLA members
Hews Company LLC
190 Rumery St
South Portland, ME 04106
207-767-2136 800-234-4397
[email protected]
www.hewsco.com
Lonnie’s Hydraulic Inc
Lawrence Staples
227 Middlesex Rd
Topsham, ME 04086
207-725-7552
Marine Hydraulic Engineering Co
Rockland Industrial Park
17 Gordon Dr
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-9527
[email protected]
Rose’s Marine
Don Favaloro
375 Main St
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-283-3334 800-283-3334
[email protected]
www.rosesmarine.com
Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation
Erin Pelletier
PO Box 523
Kennebunk, ME 04043
207-985-8088
[email protected]
Island Institute
Rob Snyder
PO Box 648
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-9209
[email protected]
ME Import/Export Dealers Assoc.
Pete McAleney
PO Box 10228
Portland, ME 04104
207-775-1612
www.mainelobsterdealers.com
Maine Lobster Promotion Council
Dane Somers
45 Memorial Circle, Suite 102
Augusta, ME 04330
207-287-5142 (5140-office)
[email protected]
Maine Port Authority
John Henshaw
16 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
207-624-3564
[email protected]
www.maineports.com
www.lobsterfrommaine.com
Maine Sea Grant University Of Maine
Paul Anderson
5784 York Comples, Bldg 6
Orono, ME 04469
207-581-1422
[email protected]
www.seagrant.umaine.edu
Penobscot Bay & River Pilots Assn
Jeffrey Cockburn
48-2 Marshall Wharf
Belfast, ME 04915
207-338-6600
[email protected]
Penobscot East Resource Center
Robin Alden
PO Box 27
207-367-2708
[email protected]
www.penobscoteast.org
The Lobster Conservancy
Diane Cowan
PO Box 235
Friendship, ME 04547
207-832-8224
[email protected]
INSURANCE
Atlantic Insurance & Benefits
Michael Giles
58 High St
Belfast, ME 04915
207-338-9787
[email protected]
www.atlantic-insurance.com
Chapman & Chapman
PO Box1030
207-563-3143 800-370-3143
[email protected]
INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS
Coastal Enterprises Inc
Hugh S Cowperthwaite
2 Portland Fish Pier, Suite 201
Portland, ME 04101
207-772-5356
www.ceimaine.org
Mega Life & Health Insurance
Rick Williams
PO Box 74
Prospect Harbor, ME 04669
207-963-4111
[email protected]
BUSINESSES SUPPORTING AT THE HIGHLINER LEVEL ARE LISTED IN BOXES.
18
November 2009
Maine Lobstermens Association Member Business Listing
Smithwick & Mariners
Scott Smithwick
366 US Route One
Falmouth, ME 04105
207-781-5553 800-370-1883
[email protected]
Discounted vessel insurance for
MLA members. Additional 5%
discount if you show proof of
having completed a Coast Guard
approved Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor course within the last 5 years.
LEGAL SERVICES
Howard & Bowie Law Office
Clayton Howard
PO Box 460
207-563-3112
Nicholas H Walsh PA
Nicholas “Nico” Walsh
111 Commerical St
Portland, ME 04101
207-772-2191
[email protected]
LOBSTER HATCHERY
Mount Desert Oceanarium
David Mills
PO Box 696
Soutwest Harbor, ME 04679
207-288-5005
[email protected]
Free admission to commercial
fishermen and their families
LOBSTER/SEAFOOD/
WHOLESALE/RETAIL
Alfred Osgood
PO Box 358
Vinalhaven, ME 04863
207-863-0929
[email protected]
Atlantic Edge Lobster
Edward Tibbetts
71 Atlantic Ave
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538
207-633-2300
[email protected]
Atwood Lobster Co
PO Box 202 Island Rd
207-596-6691
www.atwoodlobster.com
Bayleys Lobster Pound
Bill Bayley
PO Box 304
207-883-4571
[email protected]
www.bayleys.com
Beals Jonesport Coop Inc
Steve Peabody
PO Box 195
Jonesport, ME 04649
207-497-2020
[email protected]
Bucks Harbor Shopping Mall
Lana Webb
PO BOX 34
Machiasport, ME 04655
207-255-3418
[email protected]
Cape Porpoise Lobster Co Inc
Allen Daggett
184 Beachwood Ave
207-967-0900
[email protected]
www.capeporpoiselobster.com
Conary Cove Lobster Co Inc
Basil S Heanssler
83 Conary Cove Rd
Deer Isle, ME 04627
207-348-6185
Island Seafood LLC
32 Brook Dr
Eliot, ME 03909
207-439-8508
[email protected]
Cooks Lobster House
Norman Parent
PO Box 12
207-833-6641
[email protected]
www.cookslobster.com
‘Keag Store
Sharon Allen
PO Box 76
South Thomaston, ME 04858
207-596-6957
Corea Lobster Cooperative
Dwight Rodgers
PO Box 99
Corea, ME 04624
207-963-7936
[email protected]
Cozy Harbor Seafood Inc
John Norton
PO Box 389
Portland, ME 04112
207-879-2665
[email protected]
www.cozyharbor.com
Craig’s All Natural LLC
Craig Rief
25 Winecellar Rd
Durham, NH 03824
603-397-5331
[email protected]
www.craigsallnatural.com
Cranberry Isles
Fishermens Coop
PO Box 258
Islesford, ME 04646
207-244-5438
F W Thurston Co Inc
PO Box 178
Bernard, ME 04612
207-244-3320
Finest Kind Scenic Cruises
Eleanor Hubbard
PO Box 1828
Ogunquit, ME 03907
[email protected]
www.finestkindcruises.com
Friendship Lobster Coop
PO Box 307
207-832-4435
Georgetown Fishermen’s Coop
89 Moores Tpke
Georgetown, ME 04548
207-371-2950
Glens Lobster Co
12 Abner Point Rd
207-833-6138
[email protected]
Harrigan’s Seafood Co
Rachelle & Chuck Gerry
218 Back Belmont Rd
Belfast, ME 04915
207-930-9060
[email protected]
www.harrigansseafood.com
HR Beal & Sons Inc
Samn Beal
182 Clark Point Rd
Southwest Harbor, ME 04679
207-244-3202
[email protected]
www.bealslobster.com
Interstate Lobster Inc
PO Box 269
Harpswell, ME 04079
207-833-5516
Kent’s Lobster
David & Cynthia Niquette
31 Steamboat Hill
Swans Island, ME 04685
207-526-4186
[email protected]
Kips Seafood Co
Karl St Crute Sr
117 River Rd
Cushing, ME 04563
207-354-6265
Lake Pemaquid Inc
Clayton Howard
PO Box 967
207-563-5202
[email protected]
www.lakepemaquid.com
Little Bay Lobster Inc
158 Shattuck Way
Newington, NH 03801
603-431-3170
[email protected]
www.littlebaylobster.com
Lobster Products Inc
64 Tidal Falls Rd
Hancock, ME 04640
207-422-6238
[email protected]
Maine Coast Seafood
Glenn Wiley
PO Box 156
207-596-6481
[email protected]
Muscongus Bay Lobster
28 Landing Rd
Round Pound, ME 04564
207-529-2251
[email protected]
www.mainefreshlobster.com
Pemaquid Fishermen’s Coop
PO Box 152
New Harbor, ME 04554
207-677-2801
[email protected]
Port Clyde Lobster
Linda Bean
PO Box 239
Port Clyde, ME 04855
207-372-8520
[email protected]
Portland Shellfish Co.
92 Waldron Way
Portland, ME 04103
207-767-1625
www.pshellfish.com
Port Lobster Co Inc
PO Box 729
207-967-2081
[email protected]
www.portlobster.com
Post Brothers Inc
PO Box 541
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-5824
Quahog Lobster Inc
Robert Waddle
5 Lobster Lane
Harpswell, ME 04079
207-725-6222
[email protected]
Seaview Lobster Co
Tom & Kevin Flanigan
PO Box 291
Kittery, ME 03904
207-439-1599
[email protected]
www.seaviewlobster.com
Shucks Maine Lobster
John Hathaway
150 Main St, Suite 4
Richmond, ME 04357
207-737-4800
[email protected]
www.shucksMaine.com
South Bristol Fishermens Coop
PO Box 63
South Bristol, ME 04568
207-644-8224
Spruce Head Fishermen’s Coop
Dave Sleeper
275 Island Rd
South Thomaston, ME 04858
207-594-7980
[email protected]
Stonington Lobster Coop
PO Box 87
207-367-2286
[email protected]
Swans Island
Fishermens Coop
Kathleen Clark
PO Box 116
Swans Island, ME 04685
207-526-4327
[email protected]
Vinalhaven Fishermens Coop
Carol Hamilton
11 Main St, Box 366
Vinalhaven, ME 04863
207-863-2263
[email protected]
Weathervane Seafoods Inc
Josh Sharp
31 Badgers Island West
Kittery, ME 03904
207-439-0920
[email protected]
www.weathervaneseafoods.com
Fishermen’s Voice
Mike Crowe
PO Box 253
Gouldsboro, ME 04607
207-963-7195
National Fisherman
Jerry Frazier
121 Free St
Portland, ME 04112
Discounted subscription
for MLA members
PRINTING
Olivers Print Shop
Gary Gravel
PO Box 667
207-563-5655
[email protected]
PROPELLERS
Accutech
Larry Kindberg
121 Lafayette Rd # 3
PO Box 1058
N Hampton, NH 03862
603-964-3682
[email protected]
www.accutechmarine.com
20% off propeller repair
H & H Propellor Shop Inc
450A Bath Rd
Brunswick, ME 04011
800-924-7767
www.hhprop.com
New England Propeller Inc
9 Apollo Eleven Rd
Plymouth, MA 02360
508-747-6666
[email protected]
www.neprop.com
REFRIGERATION
Applied Refrigeration Services
33 Northwood Dr
Windham, ME 04062
207-893-0145
[email protected]
$250 off new installations
for MLA members
RESTAURANTS
MARINE ENGINES
Cummins Northeast Inc
Steve Savage
10 Gibson Rd
207-883-8155
[email protected]
www.marine.cummins.com
Milton Cat
Stewart Tuttle
PO Box 960
207-833-9586
[email protected]
www.miltoncat.com
Northern Lights/Lugger
8 Connector Rd
Andover, MA 01810
978-475-7400 800-762-0166
[email protected]
www.northern-lights.com
Barnacle Billys Inc
PO Box 837
Ogunquit, ME 03907
207-646-5575
[email protected]
www.barnbilly.com
Bowdoin College Dining Services
Jon Wiley
3700 College Station
Brunswick, ME 04011
207-725-3432
[email protected]
The Clam Shack
Steve Kingston
PO Box 620C
207-967-3321
[email protected]
www.theclamshack.net
SAFETY TRAINING
NEWSPAPERS
Commercial Fisheries News
Box 37, Stonington, ME 04681
207-367-2396 800-989-5253
[email protected];
www.fish-news.com/cfn
Discounted subscription for
MLA members
McMillan Offshore Survivial Training
148 Waterville Rd
Belfast, ME 04915
207-338-1603
[email protected]
www.mcmillanoffshore.com
10% discount on USCG Drill
Conductor Certification
November 2009
MLA
Buy/ Sell/ Swap
Member
Business
Listing
ADVERTISE YOUR STUFF HERE.
Classifieds are $20. MLA members get 1
free 20-word listing a month.
SALT
Maine Salt Company
677 Coldbrook Rd
Hermon, ME 04401
207-848-3796
[email protected]
www.mainesalt.com
2005 90cc Dinli youth ATV 1400 miles,
reverse, electric start. Great shape, My kid
has outgrown it. $600. 207-259-3949
35’ Mitchell Cove, New 265 John
Deere, many extras, $110,000. Motivated
seller before Dec 1st. Reasonable offers
considered. 207-372-0610
TRADE SHOWS
Diversified Business Communications
PO Box 7437
Portland, ME 04112
207-842-5500
[email protected]
www.divbusiness.com
Maine Fishermens Forum
Chilloa Young
PO Box 288
Bath, ME 04530
207-442-7700
[email protected]
TRAP BUILDERS/ SUPPLIES
Branch Brook Farm
Ralph Dean
26 Sawmill Lane
Thomaston, ME 04861
207-354-8123
[email protected]
Brooks Trap Mill
Stephen Brooks
211 Beechwood St
Thomaston, ME 04861
207-354-8763
[email protected]
Eaton Trap Co Inc
Marty Eaton
12 Birchwood Rd
Woolwich, ME 04579
207-443-3617
[email protected]
Friendship Trap Company
570 Cushing Rd
207-354-2545 800-451-1200
[email protected]
www.friendshiptrap.com
Portland Trap
26-28 Union Wharf
Portland, ME 04101
800-244-8727
[email protected]
www.brookstrapmill.com
Riverdale Mills Corp
James Knott
130 Riverdale St
PO Box 200
Northbridge, MA 01534
508-234-8715 800-762-6374
[email protected]
www.riverdale.com
Shepherd Lobster Wire Company
343 Park St
Rockland, ME 04841
207-594-6123
[email protected]
www.ceshepherd.com
Trailer. Hudson Brothers 5-Ton, Double Axle. 24’ LOA, 18’ on deck.
2 5/16” hitch. Electric brakes and
breakaway. $1600. 207-450-5534
One-story ranch for sale in West Bath
– has garage, deck, 3BR, 2 minutes to water
– seller VERY motivated – 442-8277; 7253432
Email your classifieds to [email protected]. Checks made out to
Maine Lobstermen’s Association can be
mailed to:
Maine Lobstermen’s Association
21 Western Ave, # 1
Kennebunk, ME 04043
Events Calendar
November 4 MLA Directors meeting,
5pm, Belfast
November 9 Lobster Advisory Council,
4pm Hallowell
November 9 NEFMC Herring Advisory, Portsmouth
November 10 Joint NEFMC/ASMFC
Herring Meeting, Portsmouth
Nov 12 Science and Statistical Committee noon, conference call. The public can
dial in. Call 967-4555 a week ahead of time
to find out how.
November 16 Zone G meeting, 6pm,
Scarborough
November 17-18 North Atlantic Right
Whale Consortium Annual Meeting New
Bedford Whaling Museum, MA
November 17-19 – New England Council Meeting, Newport, RI
December 2 MLA Directors meeting,
5pm, Belfast
19
20
November 2009
Maine lobstermen receive lobster
industry newsletter
(MLA) has announced the launch of a
monthly newspaper-format publication –
dedicated to Maine’s lobster industry – that
will go out to all of Maine’s roughly 5,800
lobstermen.
Legislators, fisheries managers, and marine businesses will also receive the newsletter—helping them keep a finger on
the pulse of the hopes and struggles of
Maine’s lobstermen.
Every month, the newsletter will feature
in-depth reporting on issues significant to
lobstermen and Maine’s coastal communities. It will also include interviews with
lobstermen, profiles of different harbors,
and letters.
Market woes and increased regulation
are shaking up the traditional world of the
Maine lobster industry. Now Maine lobstermen have a tool to stay informed, share
information, and have their voices heard.
“The newsletter can help lobstermen
start conversations and share opinions,”
said Patrice McCarron, Executive Director
of the MLA. “And legislators and lobstermen can track the advocacy work the MLA
does on behalf of Maine lobstermen.”
“We feel it’s extremely important during these times for everyone to be educated
and informed,” said David Cousens, president of the MLA and a lobsterman from
South Thomaston. “Fishermen need to be
aware of all of the issues.”
Since 1954, the MLA has advocated for
a sustainable lobster resource and for the
fishermen and communities that depend
on it.
Business sponsors make the increased
production and distribution of the newsletter possible; Smithwick and Mariners
Insurance sponsored the inaugural issue of
the newsletter.
Anyone interested in learning more
about the lobster industry can become a
member and receive the newsletter. Subscription rates will also be available. Call
(207) 967-4555 for more information.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE MLA 2008-2009
GUIDED LOBSTERMEN THROUGH THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
• Helped lobstermen learn about and apply for special industry loans and
programs
• Pushed for ways for lobster industry leaders and officials to advance the
economic well-being of the lobster industry
FOUGHT FOR A STEADY BAIT SUPPLY
• Advocated for tools that gave herring managers the ability to extend herring quota through the Fall when the lobster industry needs it most
PUSHED FOR COMMON-SENSE WHALE RULES
• Defended against trap reduction as a means to reduce vertical line risk
• Worked with scientists to study whale sitings and fishing strategies. This
data can lead to better whale rules
EXPANDED WORKING WATERFRIONT FUNDING
• Our participation in the Working Waterfront Coalition helped make funding available to permanently preserve working waterfronts
INCREASED COMMUNICATION EFFORTS
• We upgraded our newsletter to serve you. Now you can be the first to know
what is happening in the lobster industry.

November newsletter.indd

Transcription

Similar documents

File

First Glance Second Date Third Kiss Fourth Dance

Happy campers - Portland Magazine

view this post as a

Maine Crisp Presentation

what`s in store - Blount Clam Shack

CATERING - Balducci`s

Adult Summer Reading Program

Itinerary at a Glance Hotel Accommodations October 15

New Year Eve in Sensations by JD 2015