ROCKLAND, Maine — August 28, 2012 — It's been a rocky summer for Maine's lobster business, so people in Rockland are trying to give them a hand. Local businesses are promoting an event all this week called "Lobsterpalooza."
The promotion includes restaurants, retail stores and other businesses in Rockland, Rockport and Camden. All are offering a variety of deals involving lobster. They're even organizing cash mobs to buy lobster at local seafood dealers.
Local inn owner Cheryl Michaelsen, of the Berry Manor Inn and Historic Inns of Rockland, started Lobster Palooza. Michaelsen says the idea is to show support for local fishermen by having people simply buy more lobster. Michaelsen says they have 40 businesses involved already, and are hoping mo4re will come on board.
Maine's lobster fishermen have been struggling for several months with unusually low prices, which so far show little sign of improving. That may be good news for consumers, but not good for other businesses in the midcoast area. The communities around Penobscot Bay are the core of Maine's lobster industry. Last year the state landed more than 100 million pounds of lobster. This year's low prices mean tens of millions of dollars are being lost from the coastal economy.
Read the full story from WCSH Portland.