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L A N D I N G S
NEWS & VIEWS FROM MAINE'S LOBSTERING COMMUNITY
In January 2013, the MLCA launched Landings, a monthly newspaper which balances
its content amongst science, history, resource sustainability, economic development,
and human interest stories. Through Landings, MLCA educates the public and lobster
industry stakeholders about the unique characteristics of Maine’s lobstering traditions,
its history and heritage, ongoing research to maintain the sustainability of the resource,
and its non-harmful and non-wasteful commercial fishing practices.
Distributing more than 6,500 copies of this 24+page publication free via mail each
month to all of Maine’s commercial lobstermen, state government agency staff, elected
state officials, Congressional delegation, subscribers, marine businesses; and to the
public at various locations around the state including ferry terminals, marine supply
stores and annual educational forums.
USDA Announces New Office of Seafood
Maine lobstermen will soon have access to loan, marketing and insurance programs previously available only to farmers and other food producers through the newly created Office of Seafood in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new office, announced by Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins in late April, officially recognizes fishermen and aquaculture producers as essential food providers. The new Office of Seafood in the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes that
May 12 min read
US-Canada Lobster Town Meeting Focuses on Management, Trade and Lobster Tagging
By Chris Brehme, Lobster Institute More than 200 people took part in the 2026 US-Canada Lobster Town Meeting in Moncton, New Brunswick, in January. Attendees included representatives from more than a dozen lobster fishing associations, along with more than thirty seafood and marine industry companies, and many non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and universities. Hosted by the University of Maine’s Lobster Institute, the meeting brought fishermen from as far
Mar 33 min read
Despite the Cold, Lobstermen Bringing Up the Ghosts
The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation has been working to get “ghost gear,” lobster traps lost at sea, off the bottom of the Gulf of Maine since 2009. To recover lost traps, the Foundation contracts with lobstermen to drag specially made grappling gear in areas where traps are known to be lost and grappling is a viable retrieval method. Currently fishermen in Southport, Boothbay, Owls Head and Stonington have contracts with the Foundation to gather the lost gear. Photos by M.
Feb 22 min read
Registration open for 2026 U.S. - Canada Lobster Town Meeting
The Lobster Institute’s 21st annual U.S. – Canada Lobster Town Meeting will be held January 21-23, 2026, at the Delta Hotel in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. A complete program will be available next month, but preliminary agenda items include Fisheries Management in the U.S. and Canada; Science-Industry Collaborative Tagging Projects; Trade, Tariffs, and Traceability; Harvester and Shoreside Sector Updates. Sessions run all day on January 22 and until noon on January 23. A
Dec 2, 20251 min read
Lift All Boats Expands to Teach More Young People How to Lobster
By Renee Cordes, Maine Biz, reprinted with permission On a sweltering day in early July, the navy-blue and white Sea Smoke — a 32-foot...
Sep 26, 20254 min read
Sea Grant Associate Links Lobstermen With Innovative Gear Library
By Maine Sea Grant Alicia Gaiero, Maine Sea Grant Fisheries Extension Associate is Maine Sea Grant’s Outreach Coordinator for the...
Aug 28, 20251 min read
Island Institute's Fishing Plus Accelerator Program Opens for Lobstering Families
By Jeff Frank, Senior Community Development Officer, Island Institute Most readers don’t need reminding—lobstering is a living built on...
Aug 28, 20253 min read
V-Notching: A Simple Act That Sustains Maine's Lobster Fishery
V-notching is one of the most impactful conservation practices available to Maine lobstermen. And it is a practice that evolved...
Jun 27, 20253 min read
New Law Will Help Maine Coast Prepare for the Future
On April 22 Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1, An Act to Increase Storm Preparedness For Maine’s Communities, Homes & Infrastructure. The...
Jun 3, 20253 min read
Federal Funds Allocated for Maine Coast Guard Repairs
Senator Susan Collins announced that she secured a total of $42 million in funding for repairs to Coast Guard facilities in Rockland,...
Mar 3, 20251 min read
New Study Beginning on Socio-Economic Importance of New England Lobster Fishery
By Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries staff FACT: American lobster is the most valuable commercial fishery in the northeastern U.S. How...
Feb 4, 20252 min read
Taking Steps to Increase Affordable Housing on Vinalhaven
By Working Waterfront staff, First published in Working Waterfront. Reprinted with permission With the help of a $840,000 Maine Housing...
Jan 9, 20253 min read
State Aid Dispersed Swiftly to Rebuild Working Waterfronts
The back-to-back coastal storms that pummeled the Maine coast last January dealt a tremendous blow to wharves, piers, and many other...
Dec 5, 20244 min read
New Grant to Build Resiliency Within Lobstering Communities
No one can really predict the future. Maine’s lobstermen, however, are well positioned to have a better sense of the future than most...
Dec 5, 20242 min read
New State Law Brings Clarity to Working Waterfront Tax Reduction Program
A new law passed by the Maine Legislature earlier this year gives added clarity to the state’s Working Waterfront Current Land Use tax...
Nov 8, 20243 min read
Training Programs Help Young People Become Fishermen
For many New England fishermen, learning how to fish is simple. A father or other family member brings a youngster out on the boat from...
May 8, 20247 min read
DMR's 2023 Lobster Surveys Give Reason for Optimism
The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) announced at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum preliminary 2023 commercial fisheries landings figures...
Apr 17, 20243 min read
Maine Lobstermen’s Association 70th Annual Meeting
Maine Lobstermen's Association members gathered to celebrate the organization's 70th annual meeting on March 1 at the Samoset Resort in...
Apr 17, 20246 min read
Second “Chowder’s On” Raises Funds for Lobstering Communities
The delicious aroma of hot lobster stew, clam chowder, and homemade pies filled the auditorium at STAR Theatre in Kittery on Sunday,...
Apr 17, 20242 min read
State Invests in Protecting Working Waterfront
The Land for Maine’s Future Program and DMR are accepting letters of intent to apply for Working Waterfront Access Protection Program...
Mar 20, 20241 min read
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