BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 11, 2021
As a fourth-generation lobsterman, I see a storm on the horizon for the future of this industry if large, corporate aquaculture remains unchecked. I have heard concerns ranging from navigating around large-industrialized fish farms to finding dead lobsters near the pens. Lobstermen have told me repeatedly about losing access to their regular fishing places. Any foreign company can lease up to 1,000 acres of the ocean, making this a serious concern for the lobstering industry. It is time for Maine to review its rules and regulations to reduce conflict between lobstermen, aquaculturists and other stakeholders. That’s why I sponsored LD 1146, An Act to Protect Maine’s Ocean Waters and Support Regulatory Oversight and the Long-Term Health of the Aquaculture Industry. ~ Rep. Robert W. Alley Sr., Beals