November 2008 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 15.
SNOWE ADDRESSES LOBSTER AND GROUNDFISHING INDUSTRY
U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe and State Maine’s lobster industry will spur more inter- Guard, told those in attendance at her field from an average of 116 days in 1996 to a mere
Senator Kevin Raye Seek to Address est in bringing this goal to fruition. It would hearing today in Portland that she would 48 days in 2008. Maine has lost much of our
Challenges Facing Lobster Industry be a win-win situation.” work with groundfishermen and the various fishing heritage in recent years. In the 1990s,
U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Ranking The meeting will also serve as an oppor- government entities to ensure the interim there were more than 350 active
Member of the Senate Subcommittee on tunity to determine how the SBA and Depart- regulations that will be set for 2009 and those groundfishing boats in Maine. DMR esti-
Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast ment of Commerce have acted to carry out a for 2010 maintain the health and long-term mates that perhaps as few as 70 still land their
Guard and Maine State Senator Kevin Raye mandate Snowe included in the 2006 reau- viability of one of Maine’s most critical in- catch here in the state. And there is only one
have announced that they are working to thorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fish- dustries. active groundfishing permit east of
organize a meeting among leaders of the ery Conservation and Management Act di- “If we remain on our present regulatory Penobscot Bay. Since 2000, the Portland
lobster industry and representatives from recting the two agencies to “develop finan- trajectory, it is no exaggeration to say that the Fish Exchange has witnessed its volume of
the Small Business Administration (SBA), cial and other mechanisms to encourage industry as a whole—particularly in Maine, fish drop by more than 60 percent. And from
the Department of Commerce, the Depart- United States investment in seafood pro- but ultimately throughout New England—is 2000 to 2004, jobs in fish processing and
ment of Agriculture’s Rural Development cessing facilities in the United States for in terrible jeopardy, said Senator Snowe. “I wholesaling in the state fell by more than 40
Program, and the Maine Manufacturing Ex- fisheries that lack capacity needed to pro- believe we all share a mutual goal here today percent.
tension Partnership to address methods of cess fish harvested by United States ves- – to ensure that we have self-sustaining “While the future of our fishing industry
supporting the lobster fishery now and into sels.” populations of the nineteen stocks that com- depends on healthy fish stocks, we cannot
the future. One of the key goals of this Snowe has expressed concern about the prise the Northeast Multispecies Fishery, allow well-intentioned efforts to rebuild
meeting will be to develop creative methods fate of the industry with the following state- and that we do not regulate our nation’s first those stocks to bankrupt the industry now,
to encourage lobster processing facilities to ment: “Our lobstermen, the lifeblood of many fishery out of existence.” or there will be no one left to capitalize on the
return to the state. coastal communities, are facing prices which The New England Fishery Management sacrifices tomorrow,” Senator Snowe said. “I
“One of the major contributing factors have fallen to levels not seen in decades, Council is currently drafting new manage- recognize the challenges before us as we
to the current collapse of lobster prices has precisely at the peak of the lobster season, ment measures for fishing year 2010 that attempt to rebuild our stocks to healthy
been the lack of processing infrastructure when many fishermen would typically earn would drastically change the manner in levels that can sustain our fishing communi-
here in Maine,” said Senator Snowe, who the bulk of their annual income. Coupled with which the fishery operates, and the National ties, and evidence has shown that in some
also serves as the Ranking Member of the the record high costs for fuel and bait they Marine Fisheries Service is developing new, cases, the efforts of our fishermen are paying
Senate Small Business Committee. “By en- have battled all summer, and the looming and potentially devastating, interim regula- dividends but our management measures
couraging domestic value-added process- Federal mandate to replace much of their rope tions for fishing year 2009. In light of these have not adapted in similar fashion, prevent-
ing of Maine’s signature seafood, we will to protect endangered whales, this shock developments, Senator Snowe called the ing fishermen from taking advantage of this
reduce the fishery’s reliance on volatile for- could lead to serious disruptions in hearing to explore the ramifications of these wealth of fish.
eign financing and bring new jobs to the fishermen’s lives. They are feeling the ef- changes on one of the Nation’s most historic In addition to hearing from the general
state.” fects of a global economic crisis on a truly fisheries. The discussion during today’s public, Senator Snowe heard testimony from
“I am pleased to partner with Senator local scale. I will explore every option avail- hearing focused on three major topics: 1) the 7 witnesses including: Jim Balsiger, Acting
Snowe to push for more value-added pro- able to help our hard-working lobstermen development of and need for these regula- Director of the National Marine Fisheries
cessing right here in Maine,” said State Sena- protect their livelihoods from the fallout from tions; 2) the state of the science that informs Service (NMFS); Terry Stockwell, Depart-
tor Raye. “I have been deeply concerned conditions far beyond their control.” our fisheries managers; and 3) the long-term ment of Marine Resources (DMR); Rip
about the loss of Maine’s processing capac- Snowe Vows to Protect Maine’s Vital viability of the industry in the state of Maine. Cunningham of the New England Fisherie
ity, and have been working to encourage it as Groundfishing Industry Maine’s groundfishermen are desper- Management Council; Jim Odlin of Associ-
a way to help Maine lobstermen and create U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Ranking ately to survive increasing regulatory re- ated Fisheries of Maine; Glenn Libby of
jobs. I am hopeful that the increased aware- Member of the Senate Subcommittee on strictions that have reduced the number of
Continued on Page 18.
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