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
Business Discounts Are you an MLA member? Check out discounts at local businesses
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
Bait Resources for the 2019 season
Maine lobstermen are facing a a bait shortage this season because of the 70% cut in Atlantic herring quota. While not all lobstermen fish herring, the potential shortage will drive up demand for alternative sources of bait. Find out more information here.
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
The facts about Right Whales and lobstermen cooperation
One of the biggest issues facing the industry is the plight of the North Atlantic right whale. With 18 deaths in 2017, major pressure is on the industry to make changes. The MLA has been working on this issue since 1997 with the formation of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team. Over the past 20 years, Maine lobstermen have implemented many measures to protect whales, however threats to make major, unreasonable changes to our way of fishing remain serious.
Events
- MCCF will lead a panel discussion on issues about the soft shell clam fishery
- Including: municipal management and access to flats
- Panel will include area clam diggers as well as shellfish committee members and state agency to take part in a collaborative discussion
Goal: identify and recommend modifications to reduce impacts of gear fisheries on large whales as well as ideas on how to reduce mortality and serious injury
Objective: develop recommendations that will achieve a 60 to 80% reduction in mortalities and serious injury of right whales
Refer to this pdf for a list of scheduled meetings:
https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected/whaletrp/trt/meetings/April%202019/draft_agenda_for_web_posting.pdf
Featuring local chefs, live music, and local seafood!
Menu this year includes: local scallops, oysters, mackerel, pollock, as well as many local favorites
Guests may explore the interactive center as well!
Tickets include: two complimentary drinks, desserts, as well as a variety of samples!
MLA Members receive 25% off class price
To help commercial fishermen meet the Federal requirement 46CFR 270 (c) , McMillan Offshore Survival Training offers a 1 day USCG approved fishing vessel drill conductor course. Upon completion, participants will be nationally certified to conduct the required monthly on board emergency drills. 46CFR 270 states: “The master or individual in charge of each vessel must ensure that drills are conducted & instruction is given to each individual on board at least once each month. Instruction and drills must ensure that each individual is familiar with their duties and their responses to at least the following contingencies.
- Abandoning the vessel
- Fighting a fire in different locations on board the vessel
- Recovering an individual from the water
- Minimizing the affects of unintentional flooding
- Launching survival craft and recovering lifeboats and rescue boats
- Donning immersion suits and other wearable personal flotation devices
- Donning a fireman’s outfit and self-contained breathing apparatus, if vessel is equipped
- Making a voice radio distress call and using visual distress signals
- Activating the general alarm
- Reporting inoperative alarm systems and fire detection systems.
WHAT TO BRING: Training takes place in water so we ask participants to bring their survival suits. Suits can be provided if necessary for students. This course has been designed for the swimmer and non-swimmer alike. We also encourage participants to bring any equipment that they would like to review or discuss in class. ( EPIRB’s, distress flares etc.)
Any questions? don’t hesitate to reach out to John 207-338-1603, cell: 207-233-0787 or jmcmillan@offshore.com
Preliminary Agenda refer to cite below (subject to change):
- http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2019SpringMeeting/2019SpringMeetingFirstNotice_PrelimAgenda.pdf
Live streaming: via webinar beginning April 29th @ 1pm. No comments or questions allowed. Register @ https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1041506190356646145
Guidelines for Public comments see below:
- http://www.asmfc.org/home/2019-spring-meeting
The schedule of events will be posted once it is available.
