ROCKLAND — Lobster resources in the ocean are currently healthy and there are no immediate signs of decline. Significant latent effort exists in licenses and tags, and a lot more small lobster boats are venturing to deeper waters. This is all according to Department of Marine Resource Commissioner Patrick Keliher, who held a community meeting in Rockland Tuesday, Sept. 8, as part of a string of information-gathering sessions for a potential governor’s bill for the lobster industry.

The economies of coastal communities are getting stronger, which increases the reliance on of lobsters for the economy. Landings for Zone D have increased 54 percent, from 15.5 million pounds in 2008 to 24.4 million pounds in 2014. Value has increased 71 percent, $54 million to $92 million.

At the same time, there has been a 15 percent reduction in Zone D licenses, and a 13 percent reduction, 662,000 to 577,000, in tags sold to the industry that skipped a generation of potential fishermen. The result being a waiting list full of potential startups, many of whom have been waiting decades for their chance at making an ocean living.

Seven members of the Maine legislature listened to the discussion between Keliher and a group of fishermen. Issues of common ground included the necessity for a diverse fleet — a mix of large and small boats, and the need for a fishing infrastructure. No one had a problem with student licenses to kids wanting to try their hand, as well.

That, however, was where the common ground ended.

In the current setup, students must commit to an adult commercial license by the age of 15 in order to complete the required amount of hours before the age of 18. Keliher proposed to the audience, increasing the age of commitment to 18 and the commercial license to 23.

Many people fear that students will drop out of school in order to fulfil the requirements for an industry described by one fisherman as being rampant with heroin and other drugs.

Others in the audience believed that if kids want to fish, nothing will keep them away. With a strong family foundation, children should not be kept from this way of life. This concept led to discussion on the number of students without family support, and the suggestion of requiring a high school diploma or equivalent to attain a license.

On the flip side, the DMR has recognized that being a fisherman becomes a person’s identity. Many people nearing retirement intend to take their licenses to their graves, potentially keeping a person on the waiting list from having a chance. Currently 61 people are on the waiting list in Zone D. As a result, Keliher proposed a limited commercial license for “over 70.”

For new license holders, Keliher proposed requiring them to begin fishing within a set time frame in order to avoid new latent licenses. He also proposed that new license holders report their landings. If the new entrant is not fishing, the license should be returned, and the person put at the bottom of the waiting list.

Keliher will look to see if entry/exit ratios greater than 3:1 are appropriate. He will also tried to find balance between those who say the zone already has too many fishermen and traps in the water, versus those wanting easier access into the industry.

As one fisherman said, the young guys in the industry are making it because the old guys are going off shore  and staying there. 

For some in the audience, the only appropriate solution is to leave Maine law out of the lobstering industry all together, keeping all decisions within the zone. Some say that if the zones were going to act, they would have done so by now. The response was that the zones have been waiting to see what the legislature will do.

One current change by the DMR: Chapter 25, Lobster trap tag systems, through a one-year pilot program, tags can now be attached to the bridge of the traps. This means, no replacement tags will be necessary. See maine.gov/dmr for clarification.

Keliher continues his community meetings through the month of September. He will then analyze the suggestions he has gathered, draft a bill, put it on the docket and await approval by the Legislature.  

Following is a schedule of the meetings:

Tues., Sept. 22    University of Maine, Machias – Science Building, Room 102

Wed., Sept. 23     Ellsworth High School – Cafeteria

Tue., Sept. 29     Kennebunk High School – Cafeteria

Wed., Sept. 30     Wiscasset High School – Cafeteria

All meetings are at 6 p.m.

Check the DMR website, maine.gov/dmr, as meeting dates/locations are subject to change.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com.