April 21, 2013 — Right now, the Legislature has an opportunity to make a change in state law that would protect the infrastructure of Portland’s working waterfront, create or protect as many as 350 jobs, and revitalize the state’s nonprofit Fish Exchange. And there’s no cost to taxpayers, no cost to be borne, no risk to be absorbed.
Current federal law allows groundfishing boats that catch lobster as they trawl in federal waters to sell them. Called by-catch, the groundfishing fleet is allowed to sell up to 500 lobsters per trip when they sell the rest of their catch.
Maine, however, prohibits the practice and is the only state of 10 where American lobsters are landed to do so.
Groundfishing vessels, many of which call Maine home, are forced to travel to Gloucester, Mass., to sell their fish and the lobster by-catch, putting at jeopardy Portland’s working waterfront and risking the permanent loss of what’s left of the groundfishing fleet.
Last year, more than 126 million pounds of lobster were caught close to shore in traps. By contrast, less than 100,000 pounds were caught by groundfishing boats, less than one-tenthof 1 percent of the total.
Lobstermen in Maine are understandably protective of their fishery and of their turf. But by-catch won’t impact their close-to-shore fishery or hurt efforts to market their catch.
The Legislature's Marine Resources Committee is currently considering a bill sponsored by State Sen. Anne Haskell, D-Cumberland, that would allow groundfishing boats to sell their by-catch in Portland.
James Odlin owns Atlantic Trawlers, which has three groundfishing boats he would like to return to Maine. He lives in Bethel.
Read the full story at the Sun Journal