But a proposal before a state legislative committee would bring new people into the fishery who have been waiting for 10 or more years. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, has proposed a bill that would give licenses to anyone who has been on the list for a decade or more. The states$434 million fisheryis divided into seven geographic zones governed by zone councils made up of state-licensed lobstermen. Theres not a lot of options for work in the smaller coastal towns.. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. McCreight, the new co-chairwoman of the legislative committee that oversees lobster policy, wants to help what she considers a lost generation of Maine lobstermen thosesterningon boats along the states 3,500-mile coastline who cant gain full entry into the states most lucrative fishery because they didnt have their life plan mapped out in high school. In some cases, people are on the waiting list to get a license for decades. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. The number of tags you purchased in 2020 can only increase by 100 in 2021 until you reach your eligibility limit, zone limit or boat limit. Another member of the marine resources committee, Democratic Rep. Genevieve McDonald, said concern over possible changes in lobster fishing rules make it difficult to let new fishermen onto the water. As chairman of the local lobster zone council, Horner has voted to ease local entry requirements facing wait-listers, butdoes not want to speed it up too much. Classmates in Rockland who had known enough to get student lobster licenses fished straight out of high school, butKvorjakcouldnt, so he enrolled at Maine Maritime Academy. In most of the state, the system is set up so that one license is issued for every 4,000 lobster traps that are put into retirement. Please use our online licensing system, LEEDS at https://maine-dmr-leeds-prod.pegacloud.com/, for the fastest processing of your license and/or tag application. PORTLAND, Maine Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old or dead by the time his wait is over. Beede, 50, says the states 15-year-old licensing system needs an overhaul to give newcomers like him a fair shot at getting a license to fish their own traps in Maines lobsterrich waters. News. Beede has worked as a sternman for eight years on his 70- year-old stepfathers lobster boat in the town of Mount Desert. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Incase the number of eggs you have removed is not easily deciphered; the fine ranges between $1,000 and $5,000 (Maine Legislature). I knew Id have to wait, but I thought it would be a couple years. She still dreams of getting that license, and the freedom that comes with being her own boss. Charles Gray of Scarborough disputes the notion that the system works. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. More than 200 people are waiting in the wings for a lobstering license, which has long been a ticket to the middle class for working Mainers. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. He testified with his 3-year-old son, Levi, by his side. She is heading into her . It would also encourage zones to determine their exit-to-entry ratio differently. If you owe reports your license will not be available to renew. He wants zones to consider his or her historical fishing effort instead, to get a more accurate number for the allowable new traps. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. Six of Maine's seven lobster zones have a waiting list for new entrants. At the time, neither realized he would need to log his workdays and hours before turning 18 to get a student license. As directed by a bill passed in the state legislature this spring, the Maine Department of Marine Resources is in the process of contacting all individuals who are currently on the lobster license waiting . window.__mirage2 = {petok:"EqiZTjlTv8_c328g6kedevItYGpnYNnm3IuXM1L.gcc-1800-0"}; The bill also raises the age for young lobstermen to automatically get a license when they finish an apprenticeship. McDonald, a lobsterwoman from Stonington, said a particular problem is that the industry is faced with potential management changes to reduce interactions with the endangered North Atlantic right whale. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) There are few things in Maine as coveted as a lobster fishing license, and a proposal to bring dozens of people off the states license waiting list has fishermen in the state ready for a debate. It also changes the way old licenses are retired. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. Maine fishermen are by far the biggest producers of lobster in the U.S., and the state in the midst of a multi-year boom in lobster catch. All rights reserved, 31 Pounds of Fentanyl Seized After Being Shipped to Maine Restaurant, 2 Teens Charged in Unprovoked' Attack on Woman at South Boston MBTA Station, Cheers' Bar, Tonight Show' Set, Star Trek' Costumes Among TV History at Auction, Vermont Woman Charged With DUI in Crash That Killed Her 11-Year-Old Son, 2 Teens Arrested After Allegedly Stealing Rifle From Mass. Visit /dmr/fisheries/commercial/licenses and download and print license applications. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. He went on the waitlist in September 2008, with 46 people in front of him. Lobstering Zones in Maine. As part of a law passed earlier this year, the department must check with anyone on the list and get an updated address. For license holders in limited entry fisheries (lobster, urchins, scallops, sea cucumbers, elvers), if you intend to retain your license in 2021, you must renew your 2020 license by December 31, 2020. Online Licensing System (LEEDS) The Maine Department of Marine Resources' online licensing and landings system, called LEEDS (Licensing Enforcement and Environmental Data System) is now available. THE TIMES RECORD would welcome the opportunity to conduct a questionand answer article with a Mid-coast lobsterman. AUGUSTA Fishermen on the waiting list for a commercial lobster license are advised to watch their mailboxes in the next few weeks. He doesnt want to risk overfishing a stock that Maine lobstermen have worked hard to protect. Beede, 50, says the state's 15-year-old licensing system needs an overhaul to give newcomers like him a fair shot at getting a license to fish their own traps in Maine's lobster-rich waters. That is the youngest age students in Maine can get a lobster license. Children who finish their apprenticeships before they turn 18 can get a license when theyre 17, a provision aimed at preserving the tradition in lobster-fishing families. Most zones allow lobstermen to fish up to 800 traps at a time, while some allow only 600 traps at a time. I am concerned about people in this industry being able to make money. That would instantly add more than 50 new fishermen to the industry during an era of high catches and strong prices, but also concern about warming oceans and new fishing restrictions designed to protect whales. He thinks the fishery is already too crowded, especially with fishermen from neighboring fishing zones able to fish up to half their 800 traps in local waters. In a closed fishery, would-be lobstermen who finish a state apprenticeship program go on the zone waiting list, where they must wait for a certain number of fishermen to give up their licenses, or their trap tags, before they can start fishing. ADVERTISEMENT They started documenting everything as soon as they learned of therequirements, butdidnt have enough logged time in to complete the program until he was a few months past 18. Others say they shouldnt be penalized simply for developing an interest in lobster fishing later in life. 7 Bulfinch Place If you plan on using your 2021 tags prior to June 1st, you must submit an affidavit stating that all your 2020 tags are null and void, as all lobster tags are valid through June 1st. That exemption rubs apprentices like Masterson the wrong way. Gov. The Commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources says keeping . Nowadays, he works as a sternman on his fathers boat, with his 79-yearold father who has a license merely coming along for the ride to make things legal. There are few things in Maine as coveted as a lobster fishing license, and a proposal to bring dozens of people off the states license waiting list has fishermen in the state ready for a debate. The committee has not yet scheduled a public hearing on McCreights bill, L.D. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. There are fears that if licenses were transferable, theyd become so expensive transferable licenses in Atlantic Canada have been known to sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars each that the average young person couldnt afford to go fishing and the future of Maines coastal fishing communities would be put at risk. If you need help with PDF files, visit http://www.maine.gov/portal/help/adobe_support.html. Holly Masterson takes the stern line from her stepfather and longtime business partner, David Horner, a lobsterman whos also chairman of the local lobster zone council. Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher is also declining to comment on the proposal until Tuesdays hearing, a spokesman said. Not everybody can be a taxi driver in New York City, either. An act to Improve the Limited-Entry System would streamline the process for getting a lobster license in Maine, making it easier for students to complete the apprenticeship program and increasing the fees for lobstermen over the age of 70. If you have NOT received your tags within 6 week of ordering them, please contact DMR Licensing Division at (207) 624-6550, Option 2 so we can check on your status. Rep. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, has proposed a bill that would give licenses to anyone who has been on the list for a decade or more. To get a license now, wouldbe lobstermen have to complete a lobster fishing apprentice program that takes at least two years. The new study hopes to make sense of it all, addressing the strengths and shortcomings of the existing system and developing recommendations to improve it. Another member of the marine resources committee, Democratic Rep. Genevieve McDonald, said concern over possible changes in lobster fishing rules make it difficult to let new fishermen onto the water. Approved and Prohibited Freshwater Species, Lobster Fishing License and Trap Tag Counts, Maine Lobster Research, Education, and Development Board, Maine Lobster Limited Entry and Apprentice Program, Eligibility Criteria for Maine Students Who Want to Start Lobstering, Lobster and Other Trap/Pot Gear Modification Requirements, River Herring (Alewives and Blueback Herring), Maine DMR Online Licensing System Frequently Asked Questions, Maine Diver and Dive Tender License Safety Training Requirements, On-Line Harvester Catch & Landings Reporting, Maine Harvester Landing Reporting Form Examples, Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry (license), Tuna, Shark, and Other Large Species Information, Tips for Catch and Release of Striped Bass, Maine Saltwater Recreational Fishing Opportunities to Participate, Maine Saltwater Sport Fishing Tournaments for 2022, Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Summary, Shellfish Closures and Aquaculture Leases Map, Maine Shellfish Dealer Certification and Inspection, Municipal Shellfish Conservation Warden Information, Phytoplankton Monitoring Form and Guides for Volunteers, Water Quality Monitoring Forms and Protocols, Maine Shellfish Dealer Sanitation and HACCP Guidelines Manual and Forms, Salmon Restoration and Conservation Program (ASRCP), "Experimental" (Limited Purpose) Lease Applications and Forms, Limited-Purpose Aquaculture (LPA) License Applications and Forms, Public Participation in Aquaculture Leasing, Atlantic Halibut Research Tags and Rewards, Maine - New Hampshire Inshore Trawl Survey, Data Dashboard, Reports, and Publications, Maine Coastal Program's Mapping Initiative, MCMI - Current Projects and Program Highlights, Habitat Restoration and Tools (Maine Stream Habitat Viewer), Job, Internship, and Volunteer Opportunities, Business and Economic Development Resources. Fishermen have caught more than 100 million pounds of the crustaceans for the last seven years after never previously reaching that mark in the states history. And my father should be able to retire.. He wont weigh in on the bill until he sees it, but if the newcomers were to settle in one or two harbors, all hell would break loose, Taylor said. Maine uses a waiting list system to allow new people into its lucrative lobster fishery, and critics of the system have complained that it takes too long to yield licenses. Gray grew up lobstering with his father and had a license as a young man before deciding to try his hand at truck driving. The stories of wait-listers who have testified before the Marine Resources Committee have moved McCreight. To limit the number of lobsters being caught, the first thing the state does is regulate the number of fishermen in the state. Based on state records, 55 of the 248 people currently sitting on one of the seven regional waitlists would fall into that category. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. "They created a legacy for us to fulfill," says Raegan of her ancestors as she steers the skiff headed to her next trap. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. It urged the state to allow zone councils to relax entry-to-exit ratios and to change the way they calculate the number of traps retired when a lobsterman gives up his license. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. At this rate, my 9-year-old daughter, Eden, will be able to fish and sell her lobsters before I will.. By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old or dead by the time his wait is over. But that adult apprentice who waits a decade to fish is no more threatening than the student-turned-commercial lobsterman who can enter even the most crowded zone at will,Kvorjaksaid. A person who is on a waiting list for a class I, II or III lobster and crab fishing license for a limited-entry zone shall be removed from that list following a suspension for a violation of a marine resources law and shall be reinstated at the bottom of the waiting list following notification to the Department of eligibility for a license upon Shouldnt I be the one to teach him how to fish? Morrissette asked. LD 1503, An Act to Amend Lobster and Crab Fishing License Laws, passed by the Maine Legislature in April, requires the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) to contact all individuals who are currently on lobster license waiting lists for each of the six current Limited Entry Zones (A, B, D, E, F, and G), and determine if those individuals McCreight knows her bill will not sit well with some already licensed fishermen. Being home 24/7 is worth a lot, he said. And my father should be able to retire.. New zone entrants on the waiting list for 10 or more years. If you listed a PO Box in LEEDS as your address, you will need to check with the Post Office in the town listed in your address to make sure the tags have been delivered - the Post Office will not contact you when your package has been delivered and will not hold your package indefinitely. If you do not get ANY tags in 2020, you will only be eligible for 100 tags in 2021. Horner, Mastersons longtime business partner and former stepfather, advocates for a measured approach. At least 50% of a lobstermen's traps must be set . She still works for Horner, even though he and her mom are no longer together. The 2017 total of slightly less than 111 million pounds was the lowest since 2011, but it was still more than twice the 2003 haul. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) There are few things in Maine as coveted as a lobster fishing license, and a proposal to bring dozens of people off the states license waiting list has fishermen in the state ready for a debate. Some of the links below are PDF files, and may require Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader (download here) to view or print. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. Ones name will be removed from the list if they do not respond by Sept. 2.Forms are being sent in the mail.The Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources approved changes to the licensing program in February. More than 200 people are waiting in the wings for a lobstering license, which has long been a ticket to the middle class for working coastal Mainers. Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. Were all supposed to have a chance at it, but plain and simple, not everybody can be a lobsterman. The last open lobster zone closed in 2016. Not a lot of people can sit around for that long waiting to lobster. Beede, 50, says . But it could have far-reaching effects.. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. It implies that wait-listed apprentices are out-of-town opportunists who decided to lobster onsome kind of whimafter moving up from Massachusetts or reading about the fisherys recent boom, or screw-ups that missed the student deadline or returned to lobster after failing at some other life pursuit. Getting into Maines lobster industry takes time. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Were just waiting to see what happens, he said. Applications for 2020 licenses must be post marked on or before December 31, 2020. Please follow these steps to ensure you are obtaining the correct tag type (FEDERAL or NON-FEDERAL). Learn more. He is now the chief engineer of a 130-foot tug that pushes oil-laden barges off the coast of New Orleans. Thirty lobstermen are in front of him. LOBSTER BOATS SIT at their moorings at dawn at Pretty Marsh Harbor in Mount Desert. The response has been some very much in favor and some very much opposed.. To be issued federal halibit tag, you must have a current and active federal northeast multi-species permit on the vessel listed on your tag application. More than 200 people are waiting in the wings for a lobstering license, which has long been a ticket to the middle class for working coastal Mainers. The Southwest Harbor resident hadnt planned to become a fisherman, justhelp outher family, but she got hooked. [CDATA[ May 28, 2012 at 5:43 PM PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. Approved and Prohibited Freshwater Species, Lobster Fishing License and Trap Tag Counts, Maine Lobster Research, Education, and Development Board, Maine Lobster Limited Entry and Apprentice Program, Eligibility Criteria for Maine Students Who Want to Start Lobstering, Lobster and Other Trap/Pot Gear Modification Requirements, River Herring (Alewives and Blueback Herring), Maine DMR Online Licensing System Frequently Asked Questions, Maine Diver and Dive Tender License Safety Training Requirements, On-Line Harvester Catch & Landings Reporting, Maine Harvester Landing Reporting Form Examples, Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry (license), Tuna, Shark, and Other Large Species Information, Tips for Catch and Release of Striped Bass, Maine Saltwater Recreational Fishing Opportunities to Participate, Maine Saltwater Sport Fishing Tournaments for 2022, Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Summary, Shellfish Closures and Aquaculture Leases Map, Maine Shellfish Dealer Certification and Inspection, Municipal Shellfish Conservation Warden Information, Phytoplankton Monitoring Form and Guides for Volunteers, Water Quality Monitoring Forms and Protocols, Maine Shellfish Dealer Sanitation and HACCP Guidelines Manual and Forms, Salmon Restoration and Conservation Program (ASRCP), "Experimental" (Limited Purpose) Lease Applications and Forms, Limited-Purpose Aquaculture (LPA) License Applications and Forms, Public Participation in Aquaculture Leasing, Atlantic Halibut Research Tags and Rewards, Maine - New Hampshire Inshore Trawl Survey, Data Dashboard, Reports, and Publications, Maine Coastal Program's Mapping Initiative, MCMI - Current Projects and Program Highlights, Habitat Restoration and Tools (Maine Stream Habitat Viewer), Job, Internship, and Volunteer Opportunities, https://maine-dmr-leeds-prod.pegacloud.com/, Business and Economic Development Resources. She got her real estatelicense, andrents out a handful of vacation properties she has bought up over the years. Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher is also declining to comment on the proposal until Tuesdays hearing, a spokesman said. Stewart is one of Maine's 5,900 licensed lobster harvesters, who together haul in roughly 80% of U.S. landings of American lobster, worth more than $300 million. There are now four licensees from Zone A and eight licensees from Zone C on a transfer list to get into Zone B, said DMR lobster council liaison Sarah Cotnoir. Lobstermen testified for and against the bill before the Committee on Marine Resources Wednesday. All Rights Reserved. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"c1zG27wHNai5dMWqstawCfdcKbFoTNjrhMZ6GfCWxc8-1800-0"}; By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old -- or dead -- by the time his wait is over. Maine fishermen are by far the biggest producers of lobster in the U.S., and the state in the midst of a multi-year boom in lobster catch. But students who complete their apprenticeship before they turn 20, or 23 if they are in college, can bypass the list altogether. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. Instead, Cousens said it could let too many people into the industry. Here in the Maine Department of Marine Resources' (DMR) Lobster Management Zone B, though, a strict limited entry system has resulted in a very long waiting list for new commercial lobster licenses. Fishermen have caught more than 100 million pounds of the crustaceans for the last seven years after never previously reaching that mark in the states history.
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