(Portland, Me.) Maine’s lobster industry had another banner year despite the effects of Covid 19. According to the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), the overall landed value was $405,983,832, making it the most significant ocean resource in the state.
PMFHF Executive Director Crystal Canney said, “While the landings value is a great number – more than 405 million dollars, the impact of the lobster industry is much higher, it’s believed the impact of indirect jobs puts the lobster industry worth more than 1 billion dollars a year. The lobster is Maine’s most iconic brand and its most valuable fishery.”
While the state noted that the market could have collapsed due to COVID-19, there are still a number of obstacles lobstermen are fighting today. Everything from right whale regulations, to siting around offshore wind to conflicts with corporate aquaculture that are growing along Maine’s coast.
Canney said, “All you have to do is look at an application that is being submitted in Gouldsboro for over 100 acres of in-water salmon pens, to see the conflict being created between corporate aquaculture and lobstermen and women. Several organizations are fighting this take over of publicly owned ocean.”