Membership
With major issues facing Maine’s lobster industry, Your membership matters more than ever. Join or renew today. New members only $200.
Membership Renew, join or find out more about membership
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Business Directory Support the businesses that support us.
Monthly MLA Pages Find out what’s going on in the lobster industry!
Want to know more about what we do? Watch this short video! https://youtu.be/jExXuyosZs0
“For the past 62 years the Maine Lobstermen’s Association has advocated for lobstermen from all parts of the Maine coast. Its longevity is due to the men and women who make up its membership. Staying strong and relevant means successfully drawing new members into the association year after year..”
Read more here
Current News
NMFS Releases 2019 Atlantic Herring Catch Limits
On February 7, 2019, NMFS released the 2019 Atlantic Herring Catch Limits. Despite strident appeals from the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, among others, for a less severe cutback and for a redistribution of the area quotas, the agency determined that a 70% reduction in catch was necessary to keep the fishery healthy and stable. Furthermore, the area quotas were not reallocated which means if Area 1A does not meet its quota, then those fish will not be caught at all. (The total catch could be less than what is allocated.)
Click Here to Find out what this means
MLA Op-Ed in “Right Whale News” about cooperation of lobstermen
The Maine lobster industry has been actively engaged in efforts to protect right whales since the Take Reduction Team was formed in 1996. We recognize that right whales are in crisis and remain committed to doing our part to aid in the species’ recovery, as we have for more than two decades. During that time, Maine officials and lobstermen have implemented many measures to reduce the risk the lobster fishery poses to right whales. We are proud of our very high compliance rate, which demonstrates our commitment to protecting right whales. There is no protection for whales without buy-in from fishermen.
MLA No Longer Provides Navigator
Services
Due to recent Federal funding cuts, the Maine Lobstermen’s Association no longer has trained Navigators on staff. However, there are Navigators available statewide. You can call the statewide navigator line at 1-855-806-7333.
Events
The first scoping meeting will be held on Thursday, February 28, 2019 in Rockport, ME in conjunction 
with the annual Maine Fishermen’sForum. The session will begin at 1 p.m. in the Camden Room at the
Samoset Resort.
“Given that we’ll be talking about Northern Gulf of Maine issues in this amendment, we wanted fishermen in Midcoast and Downeast Maine to have easy access to one of our scoping meetings,” said Balzano. “Maine is a big state, and we know some fishermen have to drive for hours to get to a New England Council meeting. That’s why we’re hoping people will take advantage of the opportunity at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum to let us know what they’d like to see considered for the Northern Gulf of Maine and LAGC IFQ issues.”
See the full press release below.
Link to Seminar Schedule for Thursday: http://mainefishermensforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/Forms/Thursday-Seminar-Schedule.pdf
Link to Seminar Schedule for Friday: http://mainefishermensforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/Forms/Friday-Seminar-Schedule.pdf
Link to Seminar Schedule for Saturday: http://mainefishermensforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/Forms/Saturday-Seminar-Schedule.pdf
Join the MLA for a FREE trip to the Boston Seafood Show! This all day trip puts you on a luxury coach ride to and from Boston and includes admittance to the
- SEE how Maine lobster is marketed in a global market
- TASTE seafood from all over the world
- HEAR presentations on new seafood products
- MEET seafood distributors and equipment manufacturers as well as industry reps from around the world
- TOAST members of Maine’s own lobster community at the Maine Lobster reception
- Bus leaves from Bangor at 7 am
- Stops in Augusta at 8:30
- Portland 9:30
- Kennebunk 10:15
- Arrive in Boston about noon/ 12:30 pm
- Return to bus 6:45, Depart Boston 7 pm
Cost: $FREE thanks to our Sponsors!
Find out the details and sign up Here!
A gathering of the finest fiberglass and wooden custom boat builders on the East Coast. Also exhibiting numerous manufacturers of boating equipment. Sailboats, powerboats, canoes, kayaks, and rowing boats with the builders there to discuss and sell their work
