Saving Seafood

MAINE: Half-billion-dollar lobsterpalooza, but some fishermen worried

March 11, 2016 — ROCKPORT — Maine’s lobster landings put more than a half-billion dollars in lobstermen’s pockets last year, but some fishermen and scientists see clouds on what looks like a sparkling horizon.

Last week, just in time for the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, the Department of Marine Resources released its preliminary 2015 commercial fisheries landings and the news was astonishing.

According to DMR, the value of Maine’s commercially harvested marine resources topped $600 million in overall value in 2015. The total, $631,768,531, was an all-time high and an increase of more than $33 million over the previous record, set in 2014.

The biggest increases came in the state’s lobster fishery, where the total landed value of the catch jumped by more than $37 million and the average boat price received by lobstermen increased by more than 10 percent, from $3.70 per pound in 2014 to $4.09 per pound last year.

At $495,433,635, the overall value of Maine’s lobster fishery set another record. Factoring in bonuses paid to harvesters as reported by 11 of Maine’s 19 lobster co-ops, the overall landed value of Maine’s lobster fishery reached $510,680,048.

While the industry enjoyed a half-billion-dollar lobsterpalooza, some fishermen and lobster scientists saw clouds on the horizon.

Read the full story at The Ellsworth American

 

Maine taps new lead biologist for lobster monitoring program

July 23, 2015 — Maine is promoting the coordinator of its lobster monitoring programs to the role of lead lobster biologist for the state.

Kathleen Reardon has coordinated the state Department of Marine Resources’ lobster monitoring programs for the past 10 years. She is succeeding Carl Wilson as lead lobster biologist. Wilson became director of the Marine Resource Department’s science bureau in February.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

 

Maine DMR Strongly Encourages Online License Renewals before July 16, When Transition to New, More Efficient System Begins

June 22, 2015 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources

The Maine Department of Marine Resources encourages all current license holders planning to renew their license online to do so before July 16, 2015 when the DMR begins transitioning to a new, more efficient system. After July 16, license holders will need to use paper applications or wait until September to purchase a license or permit with the new online system.

Known as LEEDS (Licensing, Enforcement and Environmental Data System) the new system will provide easy-to-use online tools for license application, renewal, and landings reporting. Available 24-hours-a-day, the system will allow new information to be automatically integrated so license holder data is always up to date.

“This inconvenience to our customers will be temporary, lasting less than 60 days,” said Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “It was cost prohibitive to run two systems simultaneously, so we have timed the transition to occur during our slowest license sales period of the year.”

Starting July 16, 2015, the DMR will begin the transition by temporarily disabling the current online license renewal system.  To avoid any inconvenience, DMR is urging all current license holders who renew their license online to do so before July 16, 2015.

Customers and license holders should be aware that the DMR Licensing Division office at 32 Blossom Lane, Augusta will be closed on July 9, 10, and 20, 2015 as the agency transitions from the old system to the new Maine LEEDS system.

New license applications will continue to be available only on paper during the transition, from July 16, 2015 until the new system is launched.   DMR will accept paper license renewals either in person at the Augusta office, or by mail.  Applications can be found on line athttp://www.maine.gov/dmr/license/index.htm.

License renewals and new applications will be available through the new LEEDS system after DMR has conducted internal testing in the coming months. DMR will communicate directly with license holders when the system launch date is confirmed, and will include links to the new online LEEDS system.