January 23, 2020 — The Maine Department of Marine Resources wants to close a fast-growing lobster bait fishery to newcomers for two years so it has time to come up with a new management, licensing and enforcement plan.
“Closing fisheries is kind of a radical step and a dangerous step because it eliminates diversity,” said Commissioner Pat Keliher. “We’re not saying close it in perpetuity. Close it to see if there is a different approach here that would allow us to get both enforcement and reporting back under control.”
Vincent Balzano of Saco, who fishes for menhaden – also known as pogy – out of Portland, supports temporarily closing the menhaden fishery to new applicants.
“It allows us to put the brakes on, get a handle on the fishery,” said Balzano, a third-generation fisherman. “Sound, responsible fishery management is a benefit to all. It’s a benefit to the industry, a benefit to the resource and a benefit to the state as a whole.”