Maine Lobstermen's Association Update | July 2025

MLA Board of Directors Meeting

The MLA Board of Directors met on June 11 via Zoom. Scott Smithwick of Smithwick & Mariners joined the MLA board meeting to discuss the MLA vessel insurance program, which has been in place for 30 years. The MLA and Smithwick & Mariners provide a high-quality vessel insurance program for lobstermen with a cost sharing arrangement that benefits the MLA. Scott took time to explain the benefits of the vessel insurance program, which includes coverage for crew in service of the vessel (on land and sea), no required lay-up period, coverage for use of boat in multiple fisheries and recreational use (even during racing!), automatic coverage when taking observers and scientists, and excellent claims coverage. He also emphasized that the Smithwick insurance plan is open to all boats regardless of age or construction, and that the company will still insure wooden boats. The board discussed minimizing a premium increase to 3% to cover a larger-than-average loss ratio last year.

From left, former MLA president Kristan Porter, MLA executive director Patrice McCarron, Senator Susan Collins, Mary Anne Mason, MLA Legal Team, MLA board chair Jarod Bray. Senator Collins photo.

The Lobster Institute hosted a Maine-Canada supply chain discussion on Zoom directly before the MLA Board meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to get an overview of the spring season in the Maritime provinces and make discuss the upcoming Maine season. Overall, Canadian landings are down compared to last year, but the price has been OK, ranging between $8-$15 CAD. There was a lot of discussion on the many stressors facing the lobster industry on both sides of the border. Canadian wholesalers and lobstermen talked about market instability due to tariffs and declining consumer confidence, however product is still moving.

There was a heated discussion back and forth between U.S. and Canadian stakeholders on inequities between the U.S. and Canadian business models and the level of government support on each side of the border. Canadian fishermen also reported an abundance of small Jonah crabs in their traps.

In early June Patrice McCarron, Jarod Bray, Kristen Porter and Mary Anne Mason traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with the Maine delegation as well as Trump administration officials. The MLA spoke at the meetings about their assessment of the gear associated with RW 5120, the response from lobstermen to the whales sighted on Jeffreys over the winter, and the possibility that the lobster industry will need relief from whale rules at the end of 2028. The conversations were positive and encouraging. Senators and Representatives appreciated the new information and expressed support for the industry.

MLA’s newly formed Emerging Issues Committee met and laid the groundwork for improvements it hopes to make in the fishery through simple changes designed to improve the quality of product landed, compliance with core conservation measures and safety of the fleet. The committee will continue to meet through the summer and plans to meet with DMR to discuss ideas as well as develop an outreach plan to solicit input from lobstermen.

Kevin Kelley reported that the MLA’s social media campaign featuring recent high school graduates has been successful. The MLA is working with a social media consultant to reshape the MLA’s social media presence and goals.

Board member Bob Baines reported on his trip to Scotland as part of a Maine group invited to observe the country’s floating offshore wind research array. The experience provided an eye-opening glimpse of how the turbines are being used in the U.K., including many pitfalls. Some of the issues that offshore wind present are huge cost, large underwater footprints, and the transmission lines that run on the bottom.

Several board members raised concern that bookkeepers at their co-ops have resigned due to the workload associated with redundant reporting of eVTR’s and landings. The work to enter the reports, especially at larger co-ops, has been burdensome and is causing problems. The MLA will reach out to DMR to discuss these concerns.

Board members reported on the activity in their harbors. Most reported that poor weather has meant a slower-than-usual start to the season. So far there is not much activity out on the water and some boats are still on shore. Except for Boothbay, hardly any shedders have been seen. The next Board meeting is scheduled for July 9 at 5 p.m. at Darby’s in Belfast.

MLA Advocates to End Over-regulation

The MLA registered the lobster industry’s concern over the burdensome regulations facing the fishery in response President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness., dated April 17.

In its May 16 letter, the MLA wrote, “The Maine lobster fishery has, unfortunately, been no stranger to federal regulatory abuse. As discussed below, were it not for an act of Congress and a judicial decision from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, an overzealous National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”) would presently be carrying out a plan to regulate the Maine lobster fishery out of existence.

Although that plan has been thwarted (at least temporarily), entrenched NMFS staff have given no indication of changing course in the future. High-level policy change is needed and necessary. The Maine lobster fishery is one of the ‘most heavily overregulated fisheries requiring action,’ and MLA welcomes the policy changes and associated implementation plans expressed in the EO.”

MLA leadership visited Maine’s delegation and key members of the Administration in early June to highlight the lobster industry’s concerns.

Senator Collins Presses Commerce Secretary Lutnick on Lobster Industry

Senator Collins, head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick when he was before the Committee in June.

Photo courtesy of Seafood Source.

“Maine’s lobster industry, as you know, is so important to the economy of Maine… It’s really an iconic industry for us, of hard-working people that sustain many of our coastal communities. In 2022, the Biden Administration proposed regulations that posed a threat to the very existence of the lobster fishery. If implemented, it would have shut down the lobster industry. The Maine Delegation worked as a team, and we were able to successfully block those regulations and prevent them from going into effect for a period of years. Subsequently, the Maine Lobstermen’s Association sued the National Marine Fisheries Service in the Department of Commerce, and overwhelmingly won the case in June of 2023.

The three-[person] court panel said in its decision... that the Service had relied upon worst case modeling that was ‘very likely wrong’ based on assumptions that the Service conceded that it did not believe were accurate… and what the court found was that the Service acted in an arbitrary and capricious way and blocked the regulations from going forward.

Can you talk to us about how you believe that this new approach to regulation based in science will help protect the Maine fishing industry and our lobster industry from arbitrary and capricious regulations, as the court found was done in the previous Administration?

Secretary Lutnick responded, “This administration views the Maine lobster industry as an American treasure, and we need to protect it. And you will see as we do our trade deals, they treat the Maine lobster industry horribly… We think this capricious lack of rigor in our science has got to end. So, the gold standard executive order saying only real science, not opinion-based science, has to be the rule, so we protect our fishermen, we protect our ranchers. These are key things that this Administration is going to drive for. So, I completely agree with you. We will protect the great Maine lobster industry, because it is a treasure for America.”

MLA objects to Removal of Navigational Beacons

On June 13, MLA wrote to the U.S. Coast Guard expressing strong concern over its proposal to eliminate hundreds of aids to navigation (AtoNs) in the Northeast.

“The MLA understands the need to modernize the existing system of navigational aids given the expansion of satellites, electronic charts and smart phones. However, many of the existing buoys, day beacons, and lights continue to help mariners safely navigate coastal and inland waters and remain essential to ensure their continued safety. A proposal of this magnitude requires significant outreach to those who depend on these markers to safely operate on the water. Unfortunately, that has not happened.”

The MLA noted that numerous buoys mark shallow ledges, rocky areas, and narrow passages, while others indicate shipping lanes and recommended routes for large vessels entering bays along the coast. These markers help ensure lobstermen avoid setting gear in areas of busy vessel transit.

"The MLA strongly urges the Coast Guard not to move forward with the proposed action until it has conducted extensive outreach to the fishing industry, the recreational boating community, and the numerous stakeholders in our coastal communities."

Right Whale Updates

Take Reduction Team Schedule

NMFS has scheduled a series of webinars on Wednesday afternoons throughout the summer to provide the TRT with updates to inform development of a new whale plan, which must be implemented by 2029. Unusual Mortality Events will be held on July 16, WHALE Decision Support Tool 101 on August 13, WHALE Decision Support Tool 201 on August 20, and Evaluating North Atlantic Right Whale Persistence on September 10. Google “ALWTRT” for a list of meetings and registration links.

NMFS has scheduled an in-person TRT meeting for November 17-20 to develop preliminary risk reduction proposals. The agency currently plans to release the Proposed Rule in late 2026 or early 2027.

Right Whale Entanglement Updates

As of May 31, there have been no new right whale entanglements reported in 2025. Some previously entangled whales have been resighted this year. Right whales #3301 and #4120 were sighted gear free in February. Right whale #5110, last seen off Nantucket in December 2024, was resighted in Cape Cod Bay in April. Some gear was removed but the entanglement remains severe. Right whale #5132, last seen entangled off North Carolina in December 2024, was resighted south of Long Island in April, and in the St. Lawrence Estuary in May. The entanglement remains severe.

Right Whale Sightings

North Atlantic right whales were detected at the start of the year off the southern Maine coast around Jeffrey’s Basin. The last detection in Maine was in early February. If you are curious about where and when right whales have been detected, https://whalemap.org/WhaleMap tracks all of identifications close to real time.

Buffer Zone Around DMR Acoustic Buoys

DMR is asking fishermen to voluntarily avoid buffer zones at its 27 archival passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) sites to minimize potential gear loss/damage and prevent significant data loss. It is recommended that vessels avoid these 0.076-square-mile buffer zones around each PAM mooring when actively fishing near the moorings. The buffer zones are available for download in a variety of different file formats at the Maine’s ArcGIS Hub website.

DMR is conducting PAM through moorings that collect acoustic recordings of ocean sounds. The recordings are analyzed for right whale vocalizations to understand when and where the whales occur in the Gulf of Maine. The PAM moorings are a critical component of DMR’s expanded right whale monitoring program and will contribute valuable data needed to address future federal fishing regulations. A web form will soon be available on the DMR website for submitting suggestions on PAM site relocation to help minimize the potential for gear conflict.

The MLA is upgrading its membership software

The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) is launching a new membership software this summer. MLA members can still renew their membership through the MLA website, but it will be integrated with NeonOne, a user-friendly platform tailored specifically for nonprofits to better manage memberships and fundraising.

What does this mean for you? Coming later this summer members will see a simplified sign-up and renewal process, with the option for auto-renewing payments. The new online platform will also give members new options for communications, including an option to sign up to receive text message updates to keep you informed of your membership status as well as news from the MLA.

Members will be notified when the new membership system launches and will receive clear guidance on how to use its features.

What’s not changing? The MLA’s outstanding customer service! If you have questions about your membership or need assistance with renewal, we’re here to help — just reach out! Call us at 207-967-4555 or email shannon@mainelobstermen.org.

Three Research Surveys Underway

Nautical Chart Survey from Blue Hill Bay to Frenchman’s Bay

Ocean Surveys Inc., a private government contractor for NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, will be conducting a nautical chart survey to update nautical charts in an area that spans Blue Hill Bay to Frenchman’s Bay. The survey will collect modern bathymetric feature data to replace existing data, some of which dates back to the to the 1870’s.

Three small survey vessels will begin work in July, operating seven days per week for 12 hours per day, through October. Each vessel will be equipped with 350 kHz multibeam echosounders on fixed pole mounts, and manually deployed and hauled sound speed profilers.

No towed gear will be used. All vessels will be equipped with AIS. Survey vessels will monitor Monitor VHF channels 13 and 16 and locally used channels once known. They hope to avoid gear interactions but will document any encounters and work to identify the owner.

Bottom Trawl Survey of Maine Research Array

The bottom trawl survey to evaluate fish and invertebrate composition in the Maine Research Array lease site is now scheduled to be conducted on seven days between July 14 and August 31 during daylight hours. The exact dates will be weather dependent; survey schedules will be posted on DMR’s website as they are available. According to DMR, this remains a tentative timeframe.

The F/V Northern Lights (55’ trawler) will transit from Portland to the sampling area and will be monitoring VHF channel 16. The crew will conduct approximately 37 tows over seven days of sampling. Tows will be 20 minutes and conducted at a speed of 2.5 knot. DMR does not anticipate requesting that gear be moved for this survey. If the survey is unable to operate due to density of gear within the survey sites, DMR will send out additional notices providing details as to when gear would need to be moved.

Project contact is Casey Yanos, (207) 350-7165, casey.yanos@maine.gov. To report lost gear, contact Casey or your local Marine Patrol Officer.

Maine Coastal Mapping Initiative/Offshore Benthic Survey

The Maine Coastal Mapping Initiative will be conducting a benthic mapping survey from early June through October 31. Fieldwork will consist of seafloor sonar mapping with a pole-mounted Kongsberg EM2042 multibeam echosounder (MBES) aboard the F/V Titan (66’ dragger).

The F/V Titan will run along pre-determined survey lines at <7 kts. The location areas are between 9-57 miles southeast of Portland and 15-65 miles south of Boothbay Harbor. Survey areas are west of Jeffreys Bank, north and west of Jeffreys Ledge, east of West Cod Ledge, and south of Monhegan.

Survey trips will depart and return to Portland. Transit to the various survey areas within the larger effort area will be conducted along straight lines once clear of Casco Bay.

Vessels will be monitoring VHF Channel 16. The F/V Titan contact is Michael Love, 207-749-2122, lovefisheries@hotmail.com. The gear loss and general inquiries contact is Jesse Minor, 207-350-7816, jesse.minor@maine.gov, or call your local Marine patrol officer.