Maine Lobstermen's Association Updates | December 2025

MLA Directors Meeting Summary

The MLA board of directors met on November 4 in Belfast. Chairman Jarod Bray opened the meeting by welcoming guests.

In October Patrice McCarron represented the MLA at the ASMFC meeting in Delaware where the results of the new benchmark lobster stock assessment were presented and cuts to the menhaden quota were debated.

The assessment concluded that lobster stock abundance is down 34% from peak levels; however, there are still plenty of lobsters on the bottom and the resource remains well above the threshold for concern. The assessment also found that overfishing is technically occurring by a razor thin margin of less than 1%.

The stock assessment determined that the decline in lobster abundance is primarily driven by environmental changes in the Gulf, such as temperature. Fishing effort remains high with lobstermen catching the majority of lobsters molting into legal size, which has always been the case. The problem for Maine lobstermen is an economic one — lobstermen can no longer go out and catch more lobsters if profits are down because there are now fewer lobsters. ASMFC recommended reviewing management strategies but did not recommend any management changes.

While the underlying science is solid, the way the information was communicated by ASMFC was problematic and, unintentionally, irresponsible. It has created unnecessary confusion and anxiety within the industry. The MLA swiftly responded to media coverage seeking to sensationalize the overfishing finding. Several board members received calls from lobstermen expressing concern about these headlines; MLA also heard from dealers who had been contacted by concerned customers. The MLA Board is considering next steps to get feedback from members.

The ASMFC considered reducing the menhaden quota by 55% for the 2026-2028 seasons based on the results of the latest assessment. The MLA expressed concern with that proposal and countered with a request to limit the reduction to no more than 10%. ASMFC considered several options to mitigate the impact of such a drastic cut, including phasing in a 55% reduction over three years. Ultimately, the Menhaden Board approved a 20% reduction in 2026, with no quotas set for the following two years.

Patrice reported good news from the Annual North Atlantic Right Whale and Ropeless Fishing Consortium meetings. The right whale population increased again, to 384 whales. As more right whales are seen each year, past population estimates are revised upward. The previous population low has increased from 334 to 358 whales. Additionally, NMFS now counts the calves each year rather than waiting until they are re-sighted.

Updates to the federal computer model used to assess lobster fishery risk reduction will be released in the fall. The updated model will include the 100% harvester reporting and tracker data to more accurately reflect fishing effort, and the whale model will include data from Maine’s monitoring program and incorporate Canadian data.

In regard to ropeless fishing, several fisheries that are closed to protect whales are allowing ropeless gear. These include the Massachusetts lobster fishery, Canadian snow crab fishery and California Dungeness crab fishery. Each of these experimental fisheries have a limited number of participants. Gear libraries are slowly attracting more fishermen to test gear. Researchers and gear manufacturers are still working to improve ropeless gear based on feedback from field trials and are still working on interoperability of the systems.

The MLA Finance Committee reported strong progress on MLA’s financial plan for 2026. The MLA will launch its End-of-Year Fundraiser to meet MLA’s 2025 fundraising goals. All board members committed to support the campaign. The board will hold its annual retreat in January.

Board members reported that fishing continues to be very spotty with some good runs, but nothing that has held on. Lobster prices have been lower than expected for this time of year.

Court Rules Federal Trackers are Legal

On November 18, 2025, a federal appeals court upheld the requirement for federal lobstermen to use electronic tracking devices on their boats. The court found that the continuous tracking requirement for a closely regulated industry did not violate their constitutional rights. This ruling upheld a lower court’s dismissal of the lawsuit in December 2024.

The regulation required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission requires federally permitted lobstermen to install 24-hour GPS tracking devices that transmit location data whenever the vessel is in the water, for any use. Regulators argue the data is crucial for the preservation of the lobster stock, and to inform management decisions and protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. It was implemented in Maine in December 2023.

Five lobstermen who filed the original lawsuit argued that the rule was an unconstitutional invasion of privacy and an overreach of government authority and that the continuous tracking infringes on their privacy.

The appeals court decision stated that the tracking devices, which record a limited type of data, do not violate the lobstermen’s constitutional rights, including Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.

The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA), while not a plaintiff in this specific lawsuit, has consistently opposed the 24/7 tracking requirement, advocating for data collection methods that better protect fishermen’s privacy and business locations (trade secrets). 

The tracking requirement remains in place following the appeals court’s decision. 

2026 Lobster License Renewal is Open

Lobster license renewals opened on November 1. To obtain a lobster license, you must hold a 2025 license to renew for 2026, you must be the boat owner, and your landings reports must be current.

If you are a federal permit holder, DMR will verify your permit through the NOAA database. If you are renewing your federal permit, you must provide proof of application and call DMR Licensing within 24 hours to update your tag status. Failure to do so will require payment for a second set of tags.

After purchasing your license, you must verify that your permit status reflects the correct designation - EEZ (Federal) or NON (State). It is the license holder’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of this information at the time the license is obtained. Failure to confirm the correct designation will result in the requirement to purchase and pay for reissued tags bearing the appropriate permit designation.

If you renew your license online through LEEDS, you must print your own license or request a printed copy from DMR.

2025 Lobster Tags Valid through May 31, 2026

New tags take 4–6 weeks to arrive so be sure to plan ahead to receive your 2026 tags before June 1, 2026. If you intend to fish a secondary zone, you must select it when renewing your lobster license. Secondary zones cannot be added later. If you have not purchased your full 2025 tag allocation by June 1, 2026, you may only buy up to 100 additional tags beyond what you purchased before that date.

Lobster tags CANNOT be delivered to a PO Box. You must provide a physical address to ensure that your tags are delivered. If you have NOT received your tags within the four week window, notify DMR and they will research your tag order so that they will be delivered on time. If you need to fish with 2026 tags before June 1, you must submit an affidavit requesting early tag use.

If you supply DMR with an email address, you will be sent a tracking number once your tags are processed and ready for shipment. If you are ordering tags with multiple boats, please make sure your INIT tags are on your primary vessel, not listed as a MB under the Status area on your license.

Lobster apprentice and student license tag orders take 4 to 6 weeks. Your sponsor must be licensed before you log apprentice time. Notify DMR once your sponsor is licensed. Applicants for student licenses must be enrolled as students. Applicants 18 or older must provide proof of enrollment. Student license holders are not eligible for second zone tags.

FMI: https://www.maine.gov/dmr/news/mon-11032025-1200-important-reminders-regarding-license-renewal-2026-license-year.

Lobster Boats Qualify for Tier 4 Engine Standard exemption

Lobstermen building a new boat can work with their boat builder to request an exemption from the Tier 4 engine standard if the engine and vessel meet these criteria:

• Vessel length is at or below 50 feet made of fiberglass or other nonmetal hull.

• Vessels have total propulsion power at or below 1,000 kW (~1340hp).

If your vessel meets these standards, your boat builder can request an exemption which would allow you to install a 1,000 hp Tier 3 engine. The MLA is working with Maine Department of Environmental Protection and other partners to provide technical assistance for making this request. If you are interested in requesting an exemption to install a Tier 3 engine, contact Patrice at MLA at patrice@mainelobstermen.org.

Right Whale Calving Season is Underway

The 2026 North Atlantic right whale calving season began in mid-November 2025 and will continue through mid-April 2026. The whales migrate to the coastal waters of Florida and Georgia to calve and nurse their young.

Few Right Whale Sightings off Maine Coast

The Department of Marine Resources, New England Aquarium, Northeast Science Center and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute have all been conducting surveillance for right whales off the Maine coast in 2025. A large number of right whales were sighted in the area around Jeffreys Basin in January 2025, however, since then there have been very few right whale sightings off the Maine coast.

Maine Legislature to Reconvene in January

The Second Regular Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature will reconvene on January 7, 2026. Mattie Daughtry (D-Brunswick) serves as Senate President and Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) as Speaker of the House.

The deadline to submit bill titles for the upcoming session was September 26. Bills of interest to the lobster industry include the reauthorization of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, authorizing DMR to adopt emergency rules to protect right whales, and a bill regarding lobster licensing.