February 4, 2025
Washington, D.C. – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) sided with New England’s lobstermen and walked back a proposed regulatory plan poised to cause dire economic consequences to their historic industry.
ASMFC voted on Tuesday to repeal key elements of a proposed increase to minimum allowable catch sizes for Gulf of Maine lobster. The announcement comes after officials in Maine and New Hampshire, which together account for most of U.S. lobster landings, will not cooperate with the proposal.
“NEFSA thanks the commission for heeding the voice of lobstermen,” said NEFSA COO and fourth generation lobsterman Dustin Delano. “Raising catch sizes at this time would bankrupt many lobstermen and surrender the U.S. market to foreign competitors. NEFSA is grateful that the commission has chosen to support our historic trade, which contributes billions to New England’s economy and shapes the character of the region.”
NEFSA led a broad coalition of harvesters, processors, and other small businesses in opposing the new minimum allowable catch size in Addendum 27. As NEFSA explained, the proposed increase would rob lobstermen of their most popular product at a time when many are grappling with high operating costs. The expected drop in American landings would give a huge boost to Canadian lobstermen, who already enjoy a range of regulatory advantages over their American counterparts.
NEFSA is prepared to engage with state authorities going forward as fishermen and dealers decide how they want to manage their fishery in the future.
“Fishermen are powerful when they work together,” Delano said. “The long-running debate over Addendum 27 reflects that regulators and fishermen can achieve positive outcomes for America’s fishing fleet when they collaborate.”
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