I would like to propose a practical solution for simultaneously solving two big problems that concern all Americans.

The first concerns control of illegal immigration. President Trump has been adamant about keeping his campaign promise to build a border wall, yet Mexico has declined the president’s suggestion that they pay for the wall, and U.S. taxpayers may not fund the wall either (projected cost is $70 billion).

The second problem is that lobster, Maine’s most valuable export, is migrating north because of climate change. Over the past 20 years, southern New England lobster harvests have declined by 70 percent to 90 percent. Maine has been reaping a bounty worth $450 million annually, but the good times may not last. Researchers have predicted that lobsters will become less plentiful in Maine but more plentiful in Canada over the next 25 to 30 years. See where I’m going with this?

An undersea wall between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, will effectively prevent the crustaceans from crawling north. The beauty of this idea is that the wall need be only 115 miles long and 2 feet high, and could be built from Maine-made composite decking materials that resist decay and with a slippery surface that lobsters cannot claw their way over.

Material for the “lobster wall” would only cost around $5 million, while installation might cost another $15 million to $20 million – but even if it cost 50 times more than this, we are only talking $1 billion, not $70 billion!

Implementation of this proposal would not only keep a valuable resource here in Maine (rather than going to those nasty Canadians who have disrespected our president), but would also allow Trump to declare a win in fulfilling his solemn campaign promise. It might also usher in an era of increased cooperation, as both Republicans and Democrats love lobster!

John Manoush

Raymond


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