Dragged Lobster Bill Goes Down Unanimously

AUGUSTA—In the final vote on a bill LD 1097) to allow the landing in Portland of lobster caught by groundfish draggers the decision was unanimously opposed. This was not the first session on this bill nor the first time a bill on this issue has been brought before the Maine legislature. There have been three previous attempts.

Groundfish draggers have been hard pressed to make a living with groundfish stocks and quota down. The Portland Fish Exchange, a private and public facility, has sought a change in the Maine law on dragged lobster. Currently draggers take the lobster they bring in as bycatch to Massachusetts ports. Some dragger owners have changed their homeports to Massachusetts as a result of the Maine law. The shift has further strained the Portland Fish Exchange where revenues continue to decline.

Lobstermen objected to the passage of the bill because

They said, dragging damages lobster habitat, lobsters and the resource. They also feared that draggers would target lobster as groundfish numbers declined, increasing the impact on lobster. Dave Cousens of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association said the fact that draggers are allowed to take a fixed number of lobster rather than a fixed number of pounds means the draggers would be allowed to high grade their lobster catch.

Draggermen could throw back the smaller lobsters and select the larger lobsters up to 8 pounds to increase the value of their catch. These larger male and female lobsters are a much greater source young lobster, said Cousens. They are also protected for that reason in Maine waters.

The ground fishermen noted that they catch these lobster as bycatch in federal waters, the only place it is legal to do so. There are currently 40 groundfish boats in Maine. Traveling the additional distance to Massachusetts ports is an expense.

In testimony given to the Legislature on April 8, Lucas DeWill, a captain of one of Jim Odlin’s grounfish vessels said, “500 lobsters (the maximum number allowed) is not going to make or break a trip.”

Cousens said, “allowing dragged lobster undermines hard won lobster conservation measures and it will not save the Portland Fish Exchange. Generations of lobstermen have retuned to the water undersize, oversize and female lobster and the result is a lobster fishery that is worth $ 1 billion to Maine.”

Terry Alexander, the owner of two groundfish vessels said, “No other state bans the landing of dragged lobster”. A fisherman pointed out that there are only three states with a significant American lobster fishery. Maine is by far the largest with Massachusetts and New Jersey the other two.

Deputy DMR Commissioner Merideth Mendelson made the DMR’s case for allowing dragged lobster to be landed in Portland. She said dragged lobster going to Massachusetts meant less ice, gear, etc was sold at the Portland Fish Exchange. Concern over the possible loss of the Portland Fish Exchange was apart of the DMR backing LD1097. There was a sunset provision of some kind included in the bill. Mendelson also mentioned that groundfish stocks were not recovering as anticipated.

Some fishermen said the DMR’s support of dragged lobster runs counter to much of what the department has been saying regarding the lobster fishery in Maine. The DMR has been promoting better handling of lobster, habitat protection and marketing measures that emphasize sustainable harvesting and quality product.

To hear testimony given by both sides on LD1097 go to: fishermensvoice.com.