10/10/2026

MLA Statement on Monterey Bay Aquarium Court Decision

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The Maine Lobstermen's Association (MLA) is deeply disappointed by the federal appeals court decision to dismiss the lawsuit against the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The court dismissed our case, but it did not validate the Aquarium's claims about Maine lobster. Those are two very different things. The ruling did not address MLA's allegations that the Aquarium's false claims have harmed Maine's lobster fishery. 

 

MLA stands firm in its position that the Aquarium's red-listing harms the Maine lobster fishery by telling consumers to avoid Maine lobster while ignoring decades of meaningful conservation by the very people who depend on a healthy ocean. Maine lobstermen have a strong record of protecting right whales, and those measures are working. The North Atlantic right whale population is increasing, and documented interactions with Maine lobster gear are rare.

 

For generations, lobster fishing has been central to Maine's coastal heritage, supporting families, communities, and a way of life worth preserving. Maine lobstermen have made significant and costly changes to their fishing practices to protect right whales while sustaining that heritage. Consumers can feel proud choosing Maine lobster, a product brought to market in keeping with a long history of responsible stewardship and a strong commitment to right whale conservation.

 -Patrice McCarron, Executive Director

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10/2/2026

MLA Statement on USDA Leadership Visit

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MLA welcomed USDA leadership to Maine, joining them for a roundtable discussion in Stonington and arranging visits to Bold Coast Seafood in Prospect Harbor, Greenhead Lobster’s buying station in Stonington, and a trip aboard a lobster boat in Casco Bay to haul a few traps.

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We emphasized the importance of Maine lobster to our coastal communities and the unique structure of our fleet. Maine lobster is a small-boat, owner-operated fishery made up of thousands of independent businesses, so programs designed for agriculture or other food-producing sectors will not necessarily translate neatly to lobster.

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It was significant that USDA leadership spent time on the water and at the dock and heard directly from lobstermen and seafood businesses. This was an important first step in helping USDA better understand how our fishery operates and in continuing the conversation about practical tools that could better support Maine lobstermen as food producers.

 -Patrice McCarron, Executive Director

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9/21/2026

MLA Statement on Rising Fuel Prices

 

"Rising fuel prices are putting renewed pressure on Maine’s lobster businesses at a time when operating costs are already high and the market is sluggish. Maine lobstermen are small owner-operator businesses, and fuel affects far more than the cost of running the boat. When diesel prices rise, the cost of bait, traps, equipment, and nearly everything else needed to operate a lobster business rises with it.

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Those increases add up quickly. Lobstermen cannot simply pass higher costs on to customers; they sell their catch at the price their dealer pays. That means rising expenses come directly out of the bottom line and can quickly erode already-thin profit margins. If costs continue to rise faster than earnings, fewer boats will be able to afford to keep fishing and delivering lobsters to the dock.

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Maine lobstermen are constantly adapting to remain profitable, controlling expenses where they can by slowing the boat down to save fuel or taking fewer trips to reduce operating costs. But there is only so much efficiency that can offset rapidly rising costs.

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A strong lobster industry depends on keeping operating costs from outpacing what these small businesses can earn."

​​   -Patrice McCarron, Executive Director

 

9/15/2026

MLA Statement on Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act moving to Senate Commerce Committee

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"MLA is grateful to Senators Collins and King for their longstanding leadership in defending Maine’s thousands of lobstermen, crew, and families who depend on the lobster industry. MLA joins them in urging Senators Cruz and Cantwell to advance the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act of 2026 through the Senate Commerce Committee.

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The right whale population is recovering, giving regulators the time needed to ensure future whale regulations are based on sound science and real-world data—not assumptions—while protecting fishing families and coastal communities from needless economic harm."

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​   -Patrice McCarron, Executive Director​