AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s top marine official is opposing proposed federal regulations that would require all lobstermen to record daily fishing reports.
The Bangor Daily News reports the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has proposed enforcing daily summaries that include data about lobster gear. Regulators say the expanded information will help with lobster estimates and conservation efforts.
Maine currently selects 10 percent of the state’s lobstermen for reporting. The commission believes the state’s policy is unfair to other states and doesn’t provide enough data.
Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher says the data change would be a costly overhaul. Keliher says the state’s current catch reporting program can be tweaked for regulators.
The commission hasn’t set a schedule for implementing the policy.
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