The Maine Lobstermen’s Association is sounding the alarm bell, and it would serve our state’s hospitality and tourism industries to listen, and act, now, before it’s too late.

Under a court mandate, the lobster fishery is being forced to comply with strict new regulations intended to protect the endangered right whale. Certainly, a worthy goal – but data show Maine’s lobster industry isn’t the greatest threat to the whale.

The whales are dying in Canadian fishing gear and being struck by ships. No whale has ever been known to die in Maine gear. The new rules won’t protect the whale, but if the lobster industry doesn’t comply, the federal government won’t license the fishery. That means it could be illegal for Maine’s lobstermen to operate within the next decade.

Lobstering is a $1 billion business in Maine, supporting 10,000 jobs on the water and thousands more bait dealers and boat and trap builders. The loss would extend beyond the coast. What would the impact be on our hotels, restaurants, seaside takeouts and the economies of our coastal communities?

What would Maine be without lobster? The issue was discussed during a recent meeting of Maine’s largest hospitality trade group, but we need to do more than discuss this – we need to put our money where our mouths are, and we all need to work together to save Maine lobstermen before this important heritage is lost forever.

Stephanie Hawke
Boothbay Harbor

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