Not a lot of people can sit around for that long waiting to lobster. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. Ones name will be removed from the list if they do not respond by Sept. 2. Some state waters have too many fishermen fighting over the same area of lobster-rich bottom, he said. But a proposal before a state legislative committee would bring new people into the fishery who have been waiting for 10 or more years. They can only apply for a license after a captain endorses them, and the waiting list for licenses is lengthy. Some state lawmakers want to help people like Masterson who have been languishing on the apprentice waitlist for years. I was so excited about the future, Masterson recalled. If you plan on using your 2021 tags prior to June 1st, you must submit an affidavit stating that all your 2020 tags are null and void, as all lobster tags are valid through June 1st. To get a license now, wouldbe lobstermen have to complete a lobster fishing apprentice program that takes at least two years. By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old or. 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 Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources approved changes to the licensing program in February. 8. Its frustrating for all the people on the lists, Beede said. Its hard to let any student in immediately, then have people waiting on a list for 15 years,Kvorjaksaid. The Commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources says keeping an estimated 300 people on the waiting list is bad for the industry, and wants to make the process move faster. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Im so discouraged now it just hurts. 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. 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. If you are interested in getting on the wait list for a participating island, 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, http://www.maine.gov/portal/help/adobe_support.html, Eligibility criteria for Maine students who want to start lobstering (effective April 5, 2016), Lobster limited entry brochure, August 2017- pdf file, 2 pages, Apprentice program brochure, August 2017- pdf file, 2 pages, Apprentice log sheet - MS Excel file, 39 kb, Log sheet submission deadline info (within 30 days of 250th hour) - pdf file, 32 kb, the Department of Marine Resources Regulations, Business and Economic Development Resources, Zone Waiting Lists - last updated July 21, 2022. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. And my father should be able to retire.. And my father should be able to retire.. To experience the life of a. All waited at least a decade. Based on state records, 55 of the 248 people currently sitting on one of the seven regional waitlists would fall into that category. Thirty lobstermen are in front of him. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. 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. 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. It also changes the way old licenses are retired. But a proposal before a state legislative committee would bring new people into the fishery who have been waiting for 10 or more years. Applicants wait years, and at times even decades. 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. Horner, Mastersons longtime business partner and former stepfather, advocates for a measured approach. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. 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. Kvorjakunderstands the overcrowding concerns. Please contact the landings program at 624-6550,Option 1, with regard to any landings reporting issues or concerns. Make sure all of your landings reports are up to date, and that you do not owe reports. 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. THE TIMES RECORD would welcome the opportunity to conduct a questionand answer article with a Mid-coast lobsterman. He went on the waitlist in September 2008, with 46 people in front of him. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"EqiZTjlTv8_c328g6kedevItYGpnYNnm3IuXM1L.gcc-1800-0"}; Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. AUGUSTA, Maine A proposal aimed at getting hundreds off a waiting list for lobster licenses is dividing Maine lobstermen. The committee will have a workshop for the bill before holding a vote. Im 49 years old and should be able to haul my own traps. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. 7 Bulfinch Place 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. Were all working on one piece of pie. Lobster licenses now cost fishermen $167 to $501 per year, with trap tags selling for 50 cents each. Others say they shouldnt be penalized simply for developing an interest in lobster fishing later in life. [CDATA[ She still dreams of getting that license, and the freedom that comes with being her own boss. 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. Hed like to buy his stepfathers boat and traps so his stepfather can retire, but first he has to get his own license something he says is nearly impossible under existing rules. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. He doesnt want to risk overfishing a stock that Maine lobstermen have worked hard to protect. At the time, neither realized he would need to log his workdays and hours before turning 18 to get a student license. At least 50% of a lobstermen's traps must be set . 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. 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. Beede has worked as a sternman for eight years on his 70- year-old stepfathers lobster boat in the town of Mount Desert. //]]> The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. The response has been some very much in favor and some very much opposed.. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The people not in the business dont understand. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WHDH-TV. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. But a proposal before a state legislative committee would bring new people into the fishery who have been waiting for 10 or more years. This includes any supplemental licenses. The study is being billed as a cost-benefit analysis. Below are several things that you should be aware of prior to renewing/applying for your licenses or applying for tags. Not everybody can be a taxi driver in New York City, either. There are now four licensees from Zone A and eight licensees from Zone C on a transfer list to get into Zone B, said DMR lobster council liaison Sarah Cotnoir. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. The Southwest Harbor resident hadnt planned to become a fisherman, justhelp outher family, but she got hooked. Effective September 12, 2009, a law was enacted to protect the long-term viability of island lobster fishing communities. 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. Beede, 50, says . Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher is also declining to comment on the proposal until Tuesdays hearing, a spokesman said. The last open lobster zone closed in 2016.