But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. 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. Sign up and get our top stories delivered daily to your inbox at 6 a.m. 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. Theres not a lot of options for work in the smaller coastal towns.. Maine Lobster Fishing License and Trap Tag Counts The MS-Excel file below requires MS Excel or the free MS Excel Viewer (download here) to view or print. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. Fishermen are already burdened by low prices for their catches they averaged $3.19 per pound last year, essentially the same price they got in 2001 and high prices they have to pay for fuel, bait and gear. Incase the number of eggs you have removed is not easily deciphered; the fine ranges between $1,000 and $5,000 (Maine Legislature). The issue of apprentice waits has come up before. Ten years later, he returned to fishing, only to find a long waiting list. It also changes the way old licenses are retired.Get the WMTW App9234718, Amazon Has Uncanny Dupes of CB2's Popular Dining Chair for Hundreds Less. Im 49 years old and should be able to haul my own traps. Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. Please follow these steps to ensure you are obtaining the correct tag type (FEDERAL or NON-FEDERAL). Contact your local. 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. Great Jones Cookware Review: Is It Worth Buying? Ten years later, after almost a quarter century in the business, the 38-year-old Masterson is still waiting. Another, proposed by McDonald, would exempt children age 12 and under from being counted as crew members on a captains license. It would also encourage zones to determine their exit-to-entry ratio differently. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. The states$434 million fisheryis divided into seven geographic zones governed by zone councils made up of state-licensed lobstermen. If you need help with PDF files, visit http://www.maine.gov/portal/help/adobe_support.html. If you are renewing your lobster license with the same vessel as last year, and there has been a change on that vessel, your tags will be ordered exactly as they were the year before. Not everybody can be a taxi driver in New York City, either. The response has been some very much in favor and some very much opposed.. In most zones, that means long waits before the apprentice can start hauling his or her own traps. 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. 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. Currently, Keliher said the ratios are determined by the number of traps a lobsterman holds in the final year of his or her license. Gray grew up lobstering with his father and had a license as a young man before deciding to try his hand at truck driving. As part of a law passed earlier this year, the department must check with anyone on the list and get an updated address. Make sure your tags are ordered correctly. ADVERTISEMENT If your license does not show the correct designation, please contact us immediately so that we can make sure we order your tags correctly. Thirty lobstermen are in front of him. Kvorjakstarted fishing when he was in middle school after his mother married a lobsterman. This includes any supplemental licenses. 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. 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. Little did I know.. For more information on the Island Limited Entry Program and participating islands please see. 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. 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. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"c1zG27wHNai5dMWqstawCfdcKbFoTNjrhMZ6GfCWxc8-1800-0"}; Critics of the existing system say its unfair that people who once held licenses and then left the industry for one reason or another are now barred from getting new licenses without going through the apprentice program and being put on a long waiting list. Notwithstanding subsection 7-A, each licensing year, the commissioner shall authorize new zone entrants for each limited-entry zone that have been on the waiting list pursuant to subsection 6 for 10 or more years and have met the eligibility requirements under section 6421, subsection 5. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. The Marine Resources Committee member said he has friends and family that are hurt by the long waits, but others who did their time on the waitlist and worry that essentially opening the gates now would trigger trap wars, make an already tight bait market worse and could make it even more likely that federal regulators tasked with protecting right whales would put harsh restrictions on the industry. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Hes cautious about speeding up the licensing process because he says the fishery is already too crowded. But thats just a side gig. She still works for Horner, even though he and her mom are no longer together. //]]> 28. But students who complete their apprenticeship before they turn 20, or 23 if they are in college, can bypass the list altogether. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"EqiZTjlTv8_c328g6kedevItYGpnYNnm3IuXM1L.gcc-1800-0"}; Zone Waiting Lists - last updated July 21, 2022 Zone A - pdf file, 64kb Zone B - pdf file, 62kb Zone C - pdf file, 56kb Zone D - pdf file, 62kb Zone E - pdf file, 57kb Zone F - pdf file, 61kb Zone G - pdf file, 61kb Maine Lobster Island Limited Entry Program Not everybody can do what they want to do.. I am concerned about people in this industry being able to make money. Based on state records, 55 of the 248 people currently sitting. 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. 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 . A decadelong wait is not unusual for the zones with the oldest lists. The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. In Maine, lobster fishing policy starts at the harbor level. For assistance, call the DMR Licensing Division at 207-624-6550, Option 2. Under the present system, Beede may have to wait decades to obtain a lobstering license. 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. Lobstermen testified for and against the bill before the Committee on Marine Resources Wednesday. The department said there are six different waiting lists. Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. 8. I was too young to realize what I wanted to do, Morrissette said. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 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. Fishermen opposed the recommendations. 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. High school student Caleb Hardie said its difficult to complete the required 1,000 hours in the training program before the age of 18, while balancing school and community activities. Beede, 50, says . Rep. William Tuell, R-East Machias, said he is torn over what to do about the waitlist. 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. By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old -- or dead -- by the time his wait is over. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. "They created a legacy for us to fulfill," says Raegan of her ancestors as she steers the skiff headed to her next trap. Im 49 years old and should be able to haul my own traps. Lobstering Zones in Maine. Im very fortunate to have had another option, but some people dont. 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. 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. Another, proposed by McDonald, would exempt children age 12 and under from being counted as crew members on a captains license. Learn more. 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. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. There were 3 million trap tags, but only 2.6 million traps were in use, according to the Department of. But a proposal before a state legislative committee would bring new people into the fishery who have been waiting for 10 or more years. By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old or dead by the time his wait is over. Please contact the landings program at 624-6550,Option 1, with regard to any landings reporting issues or concerns. [CDATA[ 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. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. That means it takes at least five fishermen and oftentimes more to give up their licenses before a single new license is issued. Several students also testified, pleading with lawmakers to ease the rules for the apprenticeship program. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. He is now the chief engineer of a 130-foot tug that pushes oil-laden barges off the coast of New Orleans. The Maine Department of Marine Department is asking anyone on a lobster license waiting list to contact them. She still dreams of getting that license, and the freedom that comes with being her own boss. 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. 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. It will be your responsibility to obtain the appropriate tag, as outlined below. . All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WHDH-TV. All waited at least a decade. At least 50% of a lobstermen's traps must be set . Im so discouraged now it just hurts, Gray said. Comments are not available on this story. 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. They can only apply for a license after a captain endorses them, and the waiting list for licenses is lengthy. Below are several things that you should be aware of prior to renewing/applying for your licenses or applying for tags. Lobsterman Steve Taylor of Kittery, the chairman of Maines southernmost lobster zone council, said his area could probably absorb the 18 apprentices who would be eligible for a license in 2019 under McCreights plan if they were evenly distributed throughout the zone, which runs from Kittery up to Cape Elizabeth. Paul LePage signed the bill into law this spring. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. The 30-year-old is earning six figuresnow, butis willing to give that up to return to Maine, his family and a start in the fishery when his number comes up. WHDH broadcast educational and informational programming for children, and file quarterly reports with the FCC detailing the station's outreach to children. Some state lawmakers want to help people like Masterson who have been languishing on the apprentice waitlist for years. 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 state's license waiting list has fishermen in the . The Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources approved changes to the licensing program in February. It is your responsibility to make sure the tags are ordered correctly. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. If, however, you need us to print you a license, please contact the DMR Licensing Division at 207-624-6550, Option 2, and we would be happy to do so. Five students got in with no wait the year before. At a hearing on the bill Wednesday, some said it would put. Kvorjakunderstands the overcrowding concerns. Still, the analysis could result in changes, he said, depending on what the recommendations are and how legislators respond. Its hard to let any student in immediately, then have people waiting on a list for 15 years,Kvorjaksaid. Thats never a real nice feeling.. Learn more. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). I understand the frustration of the people waiting, Taylor said. 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. State lawmakers have proposed granting people licenses if they've been on the list for 10 years or more. 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. 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. If your vessel does not have a current or active federal permit - you will be issued non federal tags. You cant legislate to let everyone do what they want to do, he said. In 2012, Maine hired the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to study the lobster license system to weigh whether the conservation benefits of restricting entry to the fishery outweighed the employment barriers. 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. 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. He testified with his 3-year-old son, Levi, by his side. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. 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. The study is being billed as a cost-benefit analysis. Fourteen people in the zone would benefit from McCreights 10-year license bill, including VernonKvorjakof South Thomaston, who missed his student deadline by mere months as a teen. Based on local rules, which say that five lobstermen must leave the fishery before a new one can join, 150 local fishermen will have to retire or die before he can join. Horner, Mastersons longtime business partner and former stepfather, advocates for a measured approach. Instead, Cousens said it could let too many people into the industry. If the system is changed, some fear it could result in a lower trap limit now at 800 traps per lobsterman for most of the state that could hurt their profits even more. 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. PORTLAND, Maine Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. 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. Six of Maine's seven lobster zones have a waiting list for new entrants. Its frustrating for all the people on the lists, Beede said. In order to obtain a Maine lobster license, prospective business owners must first work as an apprentice on a lobster boat for at least two years. 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 License and trap tag annual counts by zone, 1997-2007, (PDF file, 251 KB) Many have deep ties to the region and the fishery, Masterson said. New zone entrants on the waiting list for 10 or more years. 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. The state Department of Marine Resources agrees that the waiting list for lobster licenses in most fishing zones along the coast is too long and, if possible, something should be done to reduce the time it takes to get a license. Were all supposed to have a chance at it, but plain and simple, not everybody can be a lobsterman. 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. (Copyright (c) 2022 The Associated Press. The Maine Department of Marine Department is asking anyone on a lobster license waiting list to contact them. 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. Even removing eggs is illegal and attracts $1,000 for each violation and another $300 for any involved lobster. See Offers. Yes, there are trap limits. Im so discouraged now it just hurts. 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. Make sure all of your landings reports are up to date, and that you do not owe reports. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Ones name will be removed from the list if they do not respond by Sept. 2. These licenses are not easy to come by. To limit the number of lobsters being caught, the first thing the state does is regulate the number of fishermen in the state. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. She recalls stories of 19-year waits, veterans who lost their lobstering licenses while serving overseas in the military and must now wait years to get anotherone, andwait-listers who became fathers whose sons will get their lobster licenses before their dads. Eight have been waiting on a license for 13 years. 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. 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. 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. 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. State Trooper's Cruiser. 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. 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. Lobster licenses now cost fishermen $167 to $501 per year, with trap tags selling for 50 cents each. The Southwest Harbor resident hadnt planned to become a fisherman, justhelp outher family, but she got hooked. The committee will have a workshop for the bill before holding a vote. And my father should be able to retire.. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. That would allow them to participate aboard the boat, which some in the fishery say has long been standard practice anyway. Tell Hank: (855) 247-HANK. Still others, like Beede, say licenses should be transferable among members of the same family. Most zones allow lobstermen to fish up to 800 traps at a time, while some allow only 600 traps at a time. 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. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. 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. That would allow them to participate aboard the boat, which some in the fishery say has long been standard practice anyway. 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. We have skipped a generation of fishermen in this industry, said DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher. Some of the links below are PDF files, and may require Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader (download here) to view or print. The Maine Lobstermens Association has yet to take a formal position on the proposal, and is meeting on the issue on Monday evening, said the groups president, Kristan Porter a Cutler lobsterman. If you do not get ANY tags in 2020, you will only be eligible for 100 tags in 2021. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. The committee has not yet scheduled a public hearing on McCreights bill, L.D. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. Although a lobsterman may be allowed to fish 800 traps at a time, they don't necessarily have to set the maximum number of traps. 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. ), WHDH TV 7NEWS WLVI TV CW56 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.
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