Maine Lobstermen's Association Update | February 2026

MLA Board Meeting Summary

The MLA Board of Directors met for an all-day retreat in mid-January to review work conducted by MLA in 2025 and discuss priorities for 2026. Operationally, 2025 was a year of growth for MLA. The MLA Board elected its first Chairman, Jarod Bray, as well as officers with professional expertise from outside the board. All MLA board members went through media training and the MLA surveyed its members about several emerging issues. MLA launched its new membership software and prepared to implement a new social media strategy.

The MLA launched a new website, www.vnotch.info, as an educational resource on the importance of V-notching, ran a series on V-notching in Landings, and partnered with NEFSA on a successful campaign to promote the V-notching practice. The MLA also sent a free V-notch tool to more than 100 new commercial license holders. The MLA continued work on funding to relaunch the lobster leadership program and gave talks at several universities and local schools.

The MLA remained a steadfast watchdog on right whale policy issues. In addition to working closely with Maine’s delegation and government officials in Washington, D.C., the MLA initiated two industry letters to Congress supporting reform of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, continued to oppose ropeless fishing and supported the industry’s voluntary efforts to protect right whales during the Jeffrey’s Basin aggregation last winter.

The MLA lauded the Trump Administration’s halt of offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Maine, opposed ASMFC’s lobster gauge increase, managed negative press due to confusion over the lobster stock assessment, opposed drastic cuts to the menhaden quota and continued to monitor the impacts of U.S. tariff policy on the industry. The MLA remained a steady presence at the Maine Legislature, opposing bills that would have relaxed entry into the lobster fishery, and supported consulting the zone councils before considering changes to second zone tags and owner-operator provisions.

The Board discussed priorities for 2026, which include remaining proactive on all fronts of the whale issue as we prepare for the upcoming federal process to develop new whale rules, opposing ropeless fishing and offshore wind, advocating for reliable affordable bait supply, reviewing the penalty structure for egregious lobster violations, remaining active in the Maine legislature, expanding MLA’s programs to support young lobstermen and promoting the Maine lobster industry’s stewardship practices, such as V-notching.

The MLA will continue to refine its operations and fundraising strategy to ensure that it remains prepared and nimble to respond to whatever challenges the lobster industry may face.

Legislative Summary

The 2nd session of the 132nd Legislature commenced on January 7, 2026. The second session is reserved for carry-over bills, emergency legislation and reports to the Legislature required from previous sessions. There are a few new bills, a few carry-over bills from the first session and two important reports of interest to the lobster fishery.

There are two new bills that directly impact Maine’s lobster fishery. LD 2002 An Act to Extend the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative to December 31, 2031 would reauthorize MLMC for five more years. The MLMC presented its annual report to the Marine Resources Committee on January 29. The public hearing for this bill is scheduled for February 5. The MLMC presented an overview of its work at each of the seven lobster zones and the Lobster Advisory Council.

LD 2013 An Act to Authorize the Commissioner of Marine Resources to Adopt Emergency Rules to Protect Certain Marine Mammals in Exceptional Circumstances proposes to give DMR emergency rulemaking authority when immediate action is necessary to mitigate circumstances posing an exceptionally high level of risk to marine mammals. If adopted, DMR must report back to the Marine Resources Committee by December 2027 regarding its use of the new authority. The public hearing is scheduled for February 12 at 1 p.m.

There are two carry-over bills of interest to Maine’s lobster fishery. LD 1477 An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia was voted 10:2 Ought not to Pass in the first session but was carried over upon reconsideration. On February 5, the Transportation Committee held another work session to discuss the bill. The MLA opposes this bill and has opposed previous efforts to exempt the Cat from Maine’s pilotage requirements.

LD 1353 An Act Regarding Required Landings in the Menhaden Fishery was carried over. The Marine Resources Committee held a work session on January 15 and voted to pass the bill with additional amendments. The amended bill will further relax the entry requirements to obtain a menhaden license which will allow up to 30 more vessels to enter the fishery. In late 2025, ASMFC cut the menhaden quota by 20%.

Two bills passed in the first session tasked the Department of Marine Resources to seek feedback from the zone councils, to be reported back to the Marine Resources Committee in the second session. LD 1341 Resolve, Directing the Department of Marine Resources to Evaluate How to Effectively Allow 2 Licensed Individuals to Fish for Lobsters or Scallops from a Single Vessel and LD 1561 Resolve, Regarding the Percentage of a Lobster and Crab Fishing Licensee’s Lobster Traps That May Be Fished in a Lobster Management Zone Listed on the License as a Secondary Zone were both “resolves” that directed the DMR to collect information rather than propose any substantive changes.

DMR discussed these bills with all several zone councils during two separate rounds of zone council meetings. DMR will report back to the Marine Resources Committee on its findings in mid- to late-February. The Marine Resources Committee would need to initiate a new bill to take action on either of these issues.

ASMFC Winter Meeting

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission winter meeting is scheduled during the first week of February in Virginia.

The Lobster Board meets on February 3 to review updates on indices to monitor the status of the resource. The Technical Committee will report back to the board with guidance on Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) and Fishery Projections on stock status if the gauge increase had been implemented.

The lobster board will also hear a report from the Advisory Panel regarding the results of the lobster stock assessment and updates from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts on meetings with industry to discuss the status of the lobster stock.

NMFS will present an update on the status of the alternative gear marking framework which would reduce permitting requirements to test or fish ropeless gear.

The Menhaden Board meets on February 4 to discuss management changes proposed in Draft Addendum II initiated in October 2025 to consider changes to the Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap.

Federal Funding for Right Whale and Lobster Research

Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured significant funding and legislative language to support Maine’s lobster industry in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill signed into law on January 23.

“This funding will support Maine’s lobster industry by improving the incomplete and imprecise science and research upon which the federal government relies. The flawed data being used to inform regulations has created unnecessary, burdensome requirements for Maine lobstermen and women,” said Senator Collins. “As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to ensure this funding was included in the final funding bill.”

Funding and legislative language advanced by Senator Collins includes:

• $30 million for North Atlantic Right Whale related research and monitoring distributed to states by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Language is also included directing the NOAA to work with Canada to develop risk reduction measures that are comparable in effectiveness to U.S. measures.

• $80 million for the National Sea Grant Program which includes renegotiated terms and conditions of the work to be performed by Maine Sea Grant to ensure that it focuses on advancing Maine’s coastal economies, working waterfronts, and sustainable fisheries.

• $2 million for Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank American lobster research through Maine Sea Grant.

• $300,000 to support a cooperative research program to collect biological, fishery, and environmental data for American lobster and Jonah crab using modern technology on commercial fishing vessels.

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Language is also included that directs this research to be carried out through a partnership of state agencies, academia, and industry with a focus on “stock resilience in the face of environmental changes” and “topics necessary to respond to newly implemented or future modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.” Report language directs NOAA to work with Canadian and state fisheries officials to develop a cooperative fisheries management plan in the Gray Zone.

In addition, Senator Collins secured more than $73 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine through the Appropriations bill. Of these projects, $1 million is included to expand the American Lobster Settlement Index collector survey at the University of Maine.

Right Whale Updates

As of As of January 30, 21 new mother and calf pairs have been sighted in the Southeastern calving grounds, the most new calves born since 2011. Right whale calving rates have been improving since the historic low of zero in 2018 and have outpaced deaths in recent years. The calving season runs mid-November through mid-April. More information on the 2026 right whale calving season can be found HERE.

Right whale 5217, a juvenile male born in 2022 known as Division, was sighted entangled on December 3, 2025, off Georgia. He was last seen gear-free in July in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. Disentanglement teams removed some rope from the whale and attached a telemetry buoy but were not able to free the whale from the gear. The whale travelled as far north as offshore Bar Harbor and back south to Cape Hatteras where the whale’s carcass was found on January 27.

On January 17, an entangled right whale was sighted in Cape Cod Bay. It is a juvenile whale born in 2025. An effort was mounted to disentangle the whale. The team successfully removed some gear, however, the whale remains entangled.

The LMA 1 Restricted Area, which closed on October 1, will reopen to lobster gear on February 1. The Massachusetts Restricted Area, which encompasses state and federal waters, will be closed to vertical lines from February 1 to April 30, but may be extended to mid-May if right whales remain in the area. The South Islands Restricted Area, below Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, will be closed to vertical lines from February 1 to April 30.

Bait Fishery Updates

Maine DMR has published a proposed rule for Maine’s 2026 menhaden season. A public hearing will be held on February 10 at 5 p.m. at the DMR office in Augusta. The deadline for written comment is February 23, and can be emailed to dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov.

The proposed rule specifies effort restrictions for the state allocated menhaden fishery on and after the first Monday of September, annually. It proposes that open harvest days are Mondays and Thursdays only, with a daily trip limit of 7,000 pounds, except that pound net, stop seine and fish weirs may harvest seven days a week with a weekly landing limit of 14,000 pounds.

The Marine Resources Committee recently voted to move forward LD 1353 to further relax the entry requirements to obtain a Maine commercial menhaden license, which will allow up to 30 more license holders to enter the fishery.

In late 2025, ASMFC cut the menhaden quota by 20% for the 2026 fishing season. The Total Allowable Catch for the 2026 menhaden fishing season for all states is 186,840 metric tons (mt), down from 231,215 mt for the 2023-2025 seasons. Maine’s menhaden quota for 2026 is 19,608,251 lbs. (8,894 mt), down from 24,510,314 lbs. (11,118 mt) in 2025.