June 18, 2012 – The Maine wild blueberry industry has successfully marketed its product over the past decade and the Maine lobster industry may need to do the same thing if it wants to see the price for the state’s most valuable seafood increase.
About 50 lobstermen turned out Thursday evening at Oceanside High School to hear a presentation called “Project Maine Lobster.” The meeting was organized by the Maine Lobster Advisory Council. An earlier meeting had been held in Yarmouth and more are planned along the coast.
“This came out of the frustration when the bottom dropped out of prices in 2008. We’re not any better off today,” Bob Baines of South Thomaston, chairman of the advisory council, said.
Baines noted bait prices have more than doubled during the past year and fuel prices have tripled.
One way to increase prices is to increase demand and that is where marketing is being proposed.
Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher noted that any marketing plan will need the support of the industry before it would be introduced as legislation by the administration and sent on to the Legislature.
Gov. Paul LePage is a supporter of branding Maine products, Keliher noted.
John Sauve of the advertising and marketing company Food and Wellness Group said the right marketing can increase demand which would help push up the price of lobsters.
Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News.