Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, and Governor Janet Mills said they have secured a regulatory pause for the Maine lobster fishery in the omnibus appropriations bill that is expected to pass this week in the House and Senate. They were joined by Maine Governor Janet Mills in supporting the action.

Speaking from the Senate Floor, Angus King said pause will avert an “economic death sentence” for the state.

“What does that mean?” he said. “What is the fishery? What is the lobster industry? The lobster industry is this guy right here – thousands of small, independent businesses. These boats aren't owned by Amazon or Walmart or Whole Foods. They're owned by individual people, families, generations in a town like this. That's what we're talking about. We're talking about the livelihoods of thousands of Maine people that will be cut off by virtue of this decision within two years.”

“Is it a real threat? People are already canceling orders for boat. The business of the people that make lobster traps is down 25% or 30%. People are starting to put their boat on the market because they see this closure coming of an industry that's been a mainstay of the Maine economy for 150 years,” explained Senator King. “Well over a billion and a half dollars a year is based upon this unique, iconic product that comes from the cold waters of Maine.”

In a joint statement from the Congressional delegation, Maine members said:

“With the Maine lobster fishery facing growing threats from misguided environmental groups, the omnibus bill includes a simple compromise provision that would protect the livelihoods of the men and women who make their living from one of the best managed and sustainable fisheries on earth. Specifically, the provision in the omnibus:

“Deems the current right whale rules sufficient to ensure the continued operation of the lobster and Jonah crab fisheries for six years (through December 31, 2028).

“Provide that new regulations for the lobster and Jonah crab fisheries would take effect in six years (by December 31, 2028).

“Authorizes a new grant program that could modernize gear technologies and the monitoring necessary to support the dynamic management of fisheries. Fishermen and other participants within the maritime industry would be eligible for this funding.”

They also said that lobstermen in Maine, “have long demonstrated their commitment to maintaining and protecting a sustainable fishery in the Gulf of Maine. They have invested in countless precautionary measures to protect right whales, including removing more than 30,000 miles of line from the water and switching to weaker rope to prevent whales from being entangled. And the fact is — there has never been a right whale death attributed to Maine lobster gear. We know the right whale population can be protected along with a thriving fishery because Maine lobstermen are already doing it. Despite our industry’s good stewardship and compliance with NMFS’ most recent regulations to protect right whales, our lobstermen and women are now faced with further punitive regulations that will not meaningfully protect the right whale, but will threaten the livelihoods of thousands of Maine families and small businesses.

“We have always said that we will pursue any and all policy solutions to protect our hardworking lobstermen and women along Maine’s coast. Our provision, which relies upon the expertise of the professionals at the Maine Department of Marine Resources, was included in the government funding bill released this morning.  It will enable our lobster fishery to continue to operate while still complying with NMFS’ most recent right whale rule. Without our provision, Maine’s iconic industry could be facing a complete shutdown—and the ripple effects across our state would have been widespread.”