Im so discouraged now it just hurts, Gray said. In 2018, four wait-listers inKvorjakszone got licenses. 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 . But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher is also declining to comment on the proposal until Tuesdays hearing, a spokesman said. 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. Maine Lobster Licensing Under Review | Manufacturing.net Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. Not everybody can do what they want to do.. Its hard to let any student in immediately, then have people waiting on a list for 15 years,Kvorjaksaid. Inmidcoastszone D, which ranges from Pemaquid east to Cape Rosier, 42 apprentices wait for a license, with the longest wait belonging to David Harmon of Charleston, who was listed in May 2007. Kelly Clarkson's Home Collection Is Up to 74% Off During Way Day Deals, The Best Wayfair Way Day Deals 2023 Starting at $30. At the urging of fishermen, this exemption was created to give the local children in coastal communities, especially Maines many small islands, an easy pathway into the fishery, which in some far-flung harbors is the only work to be found. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. [CDATA[ This includes any supplemental licenses. This law allows year-round island communities to petition the Commissioner for the establishment of an island limited entry program in order to maintain a number of lobster licenses appropriate for the needs of their island community and the local lobster resource. Some of the links below are PDF files, and may require Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader (download here) to view or print. Current license holders generally feel that there are already enough lobstermen and traps and that adding to those numbers will put too much pressure on the lobster population. 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. The people not in the business dont understand. Some Maine lobster license changes approved - National Fisherman 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. Contact your local. Most fishing zones were closed to newcomers almost 20 years agoin an effort toprevent overfishing and the turf wars that can happen when a fishery grows too large, too fast. Im very fortunate to have had another option, but some people dont. At least 50% of a lobstermen's traps must be set . Not a lot of people can sit around for that long waiting to lobster. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. The study is being billed as a cost-benefit analysis. If you are obtaining your license online through LEEDS, you MUST print off your license, as we do not print online licenses. How Do You Get A Commercial Fishing License In Maine Dreaming of a lobster license, but trapped on a waitlist But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. It is that time of year again to renew licenses that expire at the end of the calendar year (December 31, 2020) or to apply for a 2021 license. 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 Lobstermen in Maine ready for debate over license wait list In Maine, lobster fishing policy starts at the harbor level. This list is established with a one-for-one swap, meaning a fisherman in any given zone would need to transfer his or her license before someone on the transfer waiting list can swap zones. 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. The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. 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. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WHDH-TV. If you are interested, please contact Business Editor Patrick Gabrion at 504-8243 or email [emailprotected] Thank you. We do not ship to other addresses or out of state addresses, so please make arrangements to have your tags picked up at your address on record in LEEDS. Shouldnt I be the one to teach him how to fish? Morrissette asked. The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. The bills presenter, Democratic Rep. Joyce McCreight of Harpswell, said the proposal is designed to help fishermen who have been the victim of a waiting list system that doesnt often budge. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. Still, the analysis could result in changes, he said, depending on what the recommendations are and how legislators respond. To help spread the word and get a sense of the industrys mood, Tuell launched an online Facebook poll to test support for a 10-year cap on lobster license waits. And my father should be able to retire.. Ones name will be removed from the list if they do not respond by Sept. 2. Holly Masterson got her start in the lobster industry when she was 15, when her stepfather, David Horner, hired her to stock and clean up his boat at night. Ten years later, after almost a quarter century in the business, the 38-year-old Masterson is still waiting. He had once held a lobsterlicense, butgave it up when he went to school. Every lobster trap across Maine need to have a biodegradable panel of escape and escape vents. 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 That is the youngest age students in Maine can get a lobster license. Maine's lobster waiting list debate continues - National Fisherman Effective September 12, 2009, a law was enacted to protect the long-term viability of island lobster fishing communities. 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. 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. Being home 24/7 is worth a lot, he said. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. 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. 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. 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. Lobster License and trap tag annual counts by zone, 1997-2007, (PDF file, 251 KB) 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. STERNMAN SCOTT BEEDE returns an undersized lobster while checking traps. 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. The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. Make sure your tags are ordered correctly. So you want to be a lobsterman - Portland Press Herald Some state lawmakers want to help people like Masterson who have been languishing on the apprentice waitlist for years. The list was initially set up to try to give everyone fair access, but its not worked out like that. Long waits prompt Maine lobster licensing review - Yahoo News Lobster tags take 4 to 6 weeks - please plan accordingly. The Maine Department of Marine Department is asking anyone on a lobster license waiting list to contact them. There are few things in Maine as coveted as a lobster fishing license, and a proposal to bring dozens of people off the state's license waiting list has fishermen in the state ready for a fight. 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. Horner taught her how to lobster, fish for shrimp and scallops, and drag for haddock, monkfish and cod. Another, proposed by McDonald, would exempt children age 12 and under from being counted as crew members on a captains license. Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. Lobstermen in Maine ready for debate over license wait list At 24, Masterson entered the lobster apprenticeship program. (Copyright (c) 2022 The Associated Press. On Super Bowl Monday, 17 million workers are expected to call in sick, Maine orders edibles containing CBD removed from stores, Invasive fish that took over lakes now threatens the rest of Maine, Auburn police seize more than 30 pounds of fentanyl, This Maine ski town may crack down on short-term rentals, Maine sees regional high school as model despite failed attempts, Aroostook Countys Hogan Tire sold to national chain, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Lobster licenses now cost fishermen $167 to $501 per year, with trap tags selling for 50 cents each. THE TIMES RECORD would welcome the opportunity to conduct a questionand answer article with a Mid-coast lobsterman. 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. 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. Fishermen opposed the recommendations. Bill to let fishermen off lobster wait list gets hearing Sign up and get our top stories delivered daily to your inbox at 6 a.m. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. AUGUSTA Lawmakers on the committee that handles marine resources issues voted Wednesday to make modest changes in the rules that control lobster fishing licenses in Maine, side-stepping a more controversial proposal for access to Maine's most lucrative fishery. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. If you are applying to obtain a northeast multi-species permit, and you will have that permit during the 2021 season, you will need to provide DMR Licensing staff with the documentation showing you have applied to obtain that permit, and YOU MUST contact DMR before your tags are issued. State Trooper's Cruiser. Section 188-25-96 - Lobster Apprentice Program, 13-188-25 Me - Casetext A licensing system put in place 15 years ago to protect the lobster population and lobster fishing community has resulted in long waits to get licenses. At the time, neither realized he would need to log his workdays and hours before turning 18 to get a student license.