January 23, 2025 — Massachusetts officials say they support a new lobster harvesting rule aimed at conserving young lobster populations, which have been in decline off New England’s coast amid climate change and other pressures.
The new rules, which have drawn opposition by the lobster industry, would further restrict the size of lobsters that can be legally harvested. Maine and New Hampshire officials recently rejected the measure, but Massachusetts officials voiced strong support, saying it would help preserve the future of New England’s signature crustacean.
The measure “would have clear benefits to the lobster stock long-term,” said Daniel McKiernan, director of Massachusetts’ Division of Marine Fisheries. “We are committed to working through this situation to reach a resolution that is supportive of both conservation and Massachusetts’ leading lobster industry.”
US Representative Jared Golden, a Democrat whose Maine district includes Bangor, opposed the rule from its first introduction. He said the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission should potentially have less power.
“Lobstermen must have a seat at the table in crafting the rules for their industry,” said Golden, adding: “Mainers harvest more than 90 percent of all lobster caught in this country, and I cannot for the life of me understand why people in the mid-Atlantic should get a say in how we manage our fishery in the Gulf of Maine.”