MORNING SENTINEL • February 16, 2022
Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Jared Golden have been outspoken advocates for Maine lobstermen, who are currently engaged in a battle with the clock to comply with another round of onerous rules that are set to take effect on May 1. The cost of compliance with these new regulations is astronomical, and the scarcity of gear has put the future of Maine’s iconic lobster fishing industry in jeopardy. Estimates are that it will cost Maine fishermen at least $45 million to implement the changes deemed necessary by the federal government. That’s why Collins has asked the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee for funding, in addition to the $10 million she previously secured, to help defray the cost of compliance. ~ Dustin Delano, Friendship