Tag Archives: Maine Dept. of Marine Resources
Lobstermen and Scientists See a Fishery in Flux
While overall the fishery seems stable, some lobstermen are seeing changes that have them worried about its future. Scientists are looking into what role the changing climate may be playing in those changes, but they don’t have definitive answers. “It’s horrible,” said Mike Rego, a lobsterman and owner of the F/V Miss Lilly who operates out of Provincetown. “Last year was the worst year I ever had.” Dana Pazolt, another Provincetown lobsterman who owns the F/V Black Sheep, said that the last four years have been slim for lobsters around the Outer Cape. “You’ve got to hunt for them,” he said. “I can’t tell you why that is.” The surface waters of the Gulf of Maine are warming at a rate of about one degree per decade, faster than 99 percent of the world’s oceans, according to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Meanwhile, in other areas, warming has already had an effect — it played a major role in causing the collapse of the lobster fishery in Long Island Sound in 1999. more, >>CICK TO READ<< 21:20
Thirteen winners out of 2,600 hopefuls hit the 2022 Maine elver fishing lottery
In 2020, elvers remained one of the most valuable species harvested in Maine, with harvesters earning $5,067,521. And that was despite a decrease in per-pound value of more than $1,500. In 2021, Maine’s elver fishery rebounded on the strength of a per pound value of more than $1,800. The overall landed value of more than $16 million was an increase of more that $10 million over the previous year. Now, the elver season is ready to begin again March 22, with the Maine Dept. of Marine Resources identifying 13 fishermen who won the elver harvest letter. More than 2,600 people applied for a 2022 harvester license. >click to read< 09:45
Fishing data collection grants announced
Data on commercial fishing is almost always described as inadequate for making sound decisions about quota and regulations. States and the federal government have formed the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) to conduct research into data collecting. Read more here 11:25
