Retiring MLA Board Members Leave Strong Legacy

Dwight Carver

Dwight Carver of Beals served on the MLA board from 1996 to 2017. Carver comes from a long line of Beals Island fishermen. During his fishing career he has been involved in nearly all Maine’s many fisheries, from groundfishing to scalloping. His father was a founding member of the MLA. “I don’t remember why they asked me to join [the MLA Board], but I did because I was interested in the business,” Carver said. “I’m very proud of the MLA. The organization is on top of things and it has more clout than ever. If not for the MLA, fishing would be difficult. The industry has been good to me, so I want to pay it back. I want to make sure it’s good for younger guys the way it has been for me.” Currently Dwight serves as vice-chair of the Zone A lobster council, he is on the board of the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries and represents Maine on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team.

David Cousens

For 28 years, South Thomaston lobsterman David Cousens led the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, traveling countless miles to meetings throughout Maine and New England as president to represent MLA members’ interests from 1991 to 2018. During that time Cousens took part in complex negotiations to move regulatory authority for lobster from the New England Fishery Management Council to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) as well as numerous battles to limit the amount of lobster caught in dragger nets to be landed in Maine. With the support of other board members, he lobbied to get Maine’s conservation measures, such as V-notching female lobsters, applied throughout the New England fishery. Cousens credits the MLA board for providing strong leadership throughout his tenure and for being proactive rather than reactive. “I will miss seeing the guys on the board,” Cousens said. “I learn what’s going on from them. Arnie Gamage and I talk just about every week.” Cousens says he will miss the comradery, and keeping guys focused on the big picture. “I’ve put everything into making sure my kids have a healthy fishery and can make a decent living. It’s time for the next generation to step up.”

Arnie Gamage

South Bristol lobsterman Arnie Gamage served on the MLA board from 1984 to 2018. He served as the MLA’s Secretary/Treasurer and one of its only shrimp fishermen as well. Gamage appreciated the way that MLA board meetings bring people from different parts of the coast together. “It’s a great group of people with great representation. All of us were there because we wanted to be. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t put in the time.” Gamage devoted his time to numerous activities that benefited the lobster and the shrimp fisheries, including serving on the shrimp advisory committee for the ASMFC and attending Large Whale Take Reduction Team meetings. He received the MLA’s Golden V-notch Award in 2005 for his years of service to the lobster fishery. “If anyone calls me up to ask about what is going on, I always make time to answer their questions and let them know what’s happening. I don’t expect everyone to like it, but I’m only sharing what I know. I would never, ever do anything to hurt the lobster fishery in Maine. Everything I do is what I feel is best for the industry,” he said.

Jay Smith

Jay Smith of Nobleboro served on the board from 1990 to 2016. During the 1990s, the board faced a lot of controversy about trap limits, limiting licenses, and changes to the gauge size. Smith believed that more people should be involved in the decision-making process of lobster management and the best way to do that was to join the MLA. “When people see what’s going on [with the industry] and see what the MLA has done for us, they should see how beneficial becoming an MLA member is,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of good board members over the years,” Smith said. “They take their responsibilities seriously.”

Elliott Thomas

Elliott Thomas of Yarmouth served on the board since 2007, stepping down in 2016. “The best part about attending all the MLA meetings was that you started to develop friendships up and down the coast and to understand how things work in different ports,” said Thomas. Thomas was also active in numerous other groups and projects, including the eMolt study of water temperature changes conducted by Jim Manning at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. He was proud of the service the MLA and its board provided for the lobstering industry. “It would be good to have more people join the MLA. I don’t have any kids in the fishery, no grandkids, but I still want to see it last and see people make a living fishing. MLA is the way to ensure that happens.”

Jack Young

Jack Young, a fourth-generation Vinalhaven lobsterman, was a board member from 1988 to 2017. Ensuring a healthy industry for the next generation was an important issue to Young during his tenure. “We need to work together to make sure the younger generation has the skills and knowledge and ability to enter the industry,” he said. People often came to him with questions about information they’d heard second-hand wanting to know what was really going on with the MLA and the industry, and Young was happy to fill them in. “Not everyone agreed with the decisions we made, but if people want to stay in business in the future they should stand behind the MLA,” said Young.