Jim Merryman, President

Jon Munsey, Vice President

Alison Hawkes, Secretary/Treasurer

(207) 833-6451
 

(207) 373-0701
 

(207) 729-6560
 
    Welcome to the official website of the Maine Offshore Lobstermen's Alliance, a non-profit organization which has been formed to lead and represent one strong, unified voice for our offshore lobstering industry.

    We will no longer watch idly as we believe that we will continue to lose more precious ground on regulations making it impossible for hardworking Maine lobstermen to provide for their families. Maine has been discriminating against its own fishermen for far too long. It is time that we reclaim our historical fishing bottom. Our conservation is being exploited by our surrounding states. We need some consideration and respect for our way of life.

    This Alliance will be taking a strong stance on issues that will most affect our members and their families now and in the future. Some issues need to be addressed immediately. All options will be on the table. Together we can make a difference and have a voice of leadership for our industry.

    The Alliance has yearly dues of $250.00. This money will finally give its members a strong voice either in the courtroom or halls of the state house. It is vital to our survival that we unite. The rest will be spent on administrative costs. Also included will be a quarterly newsletter to keep all members up to date on issues. Every member's voice will be a part of our alliance.

    The Alliance shall have one class of members; any individual residing in Maine who is an active area one, licensed offshore lobsterman may become a member.

    For more information, please call one of the numbers located at the top of this site.

    Thank you for your consideration and support.

    The Maine Offshore Lobstermen's Alliance

 

NEWS:

Maine Lobster Industry Defeats Dragger Bill

The Maine Offshore Lobstermen’s Alliance (MOLA) congratulates lobstermen and lobster industry representatives for defeating Maine State Bill LD170, which would have allowed Maine boats to land lobsters caught while dragging. The bill was defeated by a strong coalition of individual lobstermen and virtually every ogranization concerned, including: the  Maine Lobstermen’s Association, the Down East Lobstermen’s Association, the Southern Maine Lobstermen’s Association, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Lobster Promotion Council, the Lobster Conservancy, and of course MOLA.

Says MOLA president Jim Merryman, "The lobstermen and organizations  definitely had an impact. They stopped this bill dead in its tracks." LD170 would have allowed Maine draggers to sell lobsters caught in nets, a practice allowed in other states such as Massachusetts, where draggers can land up to 500 lobsters in count. MOLA and other organizations believe that this practice in general and this bill in particular runs directly contrary to the long successful record of conservation by Maine lobstermen.

"We couldn’t let this practice become even more widespread," says MOLAvice-president Jon Munsey. Ultimately, the open hearing in Augusta on March 5, where lobstermen spoke in opposition to LD170, was an outstanding example of how, when they are united, Maine lobstermen and their representatives can work together to ensure the continued viability of Maine’s largest commercial fishing industry.

Lawmakers Miss Opportunity to Eliminate Restrictions for Maine Offshore Lobstermen

The Marine Resources Committee of the Maine Legislature voted to table LD92, a bill introduced to eliminate zone lines in federal waters otherwise known as Area 1. Speaking in favor of the bill on April 2 at the open hearing in Augusta was MOLA president Jim Merryman. Merryman called the current use of zone lines in Area 1 unfair to Maine lobstermen. He also questioned the State’s jurisdiction in Federal waters and made the point that zone lines serve no purpose as tools of conservation. He also added that enforcement of zone lines in Area 1 will be difficult and costly to both lobstermen and the state.

"Maine discrimates against its own offshore lobstermen by enforcing zone lines," noted Merryman, explaining that lobstermen from other states may fish the entire coast of Maine in Area 1. "Maine lobstermen have done the hard work of conservation. They ought to be able to be as free as those from other states to reap some of the benefit."

Merryman added that double-tagging, the tool the Department of Marine Resources plans to use for enforcement of zone lines in Area 1, is also an added constraint. Purchasing tags for that purpose amounts to an extra tax that Maine boats have to pay but others do not. In the end, the bill was voted down by the committee. Of the failure of the bill to pass to the legislature, Merryman said, "It’s a good example of the need for adequate representation for Maine offshore lobstermen.  With more support, one day soon MOLA will be in a position to provide that representation."

On the Horizon

Looking ahead, MOLA sees further issues for Maine offshore lobstermen to address. Not far in the future, MOLA expects that organizations such as the Ocean Conservancy will be pushing for marine protection areas (MPAs) along the coast of Maine. Such MPAs are essentially marine preservations, where not only fishing would be offlimits, but motorized vessels of any sort. It is important that organizations such as MOLA be ready to work to protect and keep available working fishing ground for Maine lobstermen.

Also of note, is the increasing sales of "Imposter Lobster" in such restaurants as Long John Silver’s. Langostino, a crustacean from central America is currently being marketed as "langostino lobster." The Lobster Promotion Council says that langostino cost the Maine lobster industry more than $44 million in sales last year. MOLA hopes to work with the Lobster Promotion Council to address this issue.

MOLA is concerned also with the rising number of frivolous lawsuits brought by activist environmentalists against individual fishermen. Recently a Masschusetts lobsterman was sued for $1 million when a whale was entangled in his lobster gear, even though the gear complied with state and federal laws. MOLA wonders how long it will be before such suits are commonplace in Maine. In that event, it will be important that lobstermen have an organzation such as MOLA to lobby on their behalf.

MOLA has ambitious and important goals. But they are goals that can only be achieved with the support of Maine lobstermen.

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