"They created a legacy for us to fulfill," says Raegan of her ancestors as she steers the skiff headed to her next trap. Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries. Elver Dealers MUST obtain their license on or before February 1st. Even though its a complicated system, its a pretty good system, he said. Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News, How to register your school/organization for closings and delays, Harden scores 45, hits late 3 as 76ers down Celtics 119-115, Middleton police warning dog owners about tainted meat, Norwell man arraigned on motor vehicle homicide, manslaughter charges related to deadly 2022 Marshfield crash. Horner, Mastersons longtime business partner and former stepfather, advocates for a measured approach. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. Im 49 years old and should be able to haul my own traps. It concluded that setting entry barriers had more to do with controlling who gets the privilege to fish, not protecting the stock, as the number of traps had increased even as the number oflicenseholdersdecreased. 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. 7 Bulfinch Place The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. Getting a jump start on a lobstering career with the Maine student Dreaming of a lobster license, but trapped on a waitlist Maine Lobster Limited Entry and Apprentice Program 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. 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. When he lost hissternman, Masterson filled in. 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. See Offers. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. 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. 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. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. Bill to let fishermen off lobster wait list gets hearing Were all supposed to have a chance at it, but plain and simple, not everybody can be a lobsterman. 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. For the people on the waiting list, its not far enough, and for the people in the fishery, we went too far, he said. The state is expected to release data about 2018 later this winter. 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. Lobstering Zones in Maine. 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. If you listed a PO Box in LEEDS as your address, you will need to check with the Post Office in the town listed in your address to make sure the tags have been delivered - the Post Office will not contact you when your package has been delivered and will not hold your package indefinitely. 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. Long waits prompt Maine lobster licensing review - Yahoo News He doesnt want to risk overfishing a stock that Maine lobstermen have worked hard to protect. If you have NOT received your tags within 6 week of ordering them, please contact DMR Licensing Division at (207) 624-6550, Option 2 so we can check on your status. Little did I know.. Paul LePage signed the bill into law this spring. That means it takes at least five fishermen and oftentimes more to give up their licenses before a single new license is issued. The poll ended up 53-47 percent in favor of McCreights bill, with 949 total votes cast before Tuell closed the poll. She is heading into her . You can share 5 more gift articles this month. Below are several things that you should be aware of prior to renewing/applying for your licenses or applying for tags. 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. If something happens to his father, Gray will be left unable to fish without his own license. Another, proposed by McDonald, would exempt children age 12 and under from being counted as crew members on a captains license. The committee will have a workshop for the bill before holding a vote. 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. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. As part of a law passed earlier this year, the department must check with anyone on the list and get an updated address. With approval from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, councils set limits on the number of traps, establish fishing times and days, and, since 1999, set entry rates to control the size of the state lobster fleet, which numbers about 4,500 people. 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. Some years, nobody comes off the list, Masterson said. 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. Sign in or Subscribe 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. Its hard to let any student in immediately, then have people waiting on a list for 15 years,Kvorjaksaid. See Offers. Shouldnt I be the one to teach him how to fish? Morrissette asked. Charles Gray of Scarborough disputes the notion that the system works. Federal halibut tags will be issued by DMR this year. It will also address some contentious subject areas, such as whether lobster licenses or the tags fishermen get for their traps can be transferred through sales to other people. Tags are ordered the next day after your license is processed. 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). Kelly Clarkson's Home Collection Is Up to 74% Off During Way Day Deals, The Best Wayfair Way Day Deals 2023 Starting at $30. Yes, there are trap limits. 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. Thats never a real nice feeling.. 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. If you are interested in getting on the wait list for a participating island, please contact Lorraine Morris. If you need help with PDF files, visit http://www.maine.gov/portal/help/adobe_support.html. Effective September 12, 2009, a law was enacted to protect the long-term viability of island lobster fishing communities. Until we know the outcome of these discussions it is very difficult to pass legislation that would increase lobster fishing effort, McDonald said. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. For more information on the Island Limited Entry Program and participating islands please see. 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. Most zones allow lobstermen to fish up to 800 traps at a time, while some allow only 600 traps at a time. 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. PDF State of Maine Department of Marine Resources 21 State House Station Based on state records, 55 of the 248 people currently sitting on one of the seven regional waitlists would fall into that category. 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. These licenses are not easy to come by. Only seven new licenses were issued this year in the states six closed zones, said Deirdre Gilbert, director of marine policy at the Department of Marine Resources. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. Maine Lobster License Rule - NECN At a hearing on the bill Wednesday, some said it would put. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, has proposed a bill that would give licenses to anyone who has been on the list for a decade or more. 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. By his calculations he'll be nearly 80 years old -- or dead -- by the time his wait is over. The department said there are six different waiting lists. Lobstermen testified for and against the bill before the Committee on Marine Resources Wednesday. That would instantly add more than 50 new fishermen to the industry during an era of high catches and strong prices, but also concern about warming oceans and new fishing restrictions designed to protect whales. Im so discouraged now it just hurts, Gray said. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WHDH-TV. AUGUSTA Fishermen on the waiting list for a commercial lobster license are advised to watch their mailboxes in the next few weeks. GMRI recommended the state adopt a tiered licensing system, where fishermen could join low-trap tiers sooner buthave towait longer to gain access to high-trap tiers. This includes any supplemental licenses. 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. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. 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. //A Day in the Life of a Maine Lobsterman - Business Insider If your license does not show the correct designation, please contact us immediately so that we can make sure we order your tags correctly. To get a license now, wouldbe lobstermen have to complete a lobster fishing apprentice program that takes at least two years. If you need an alternate format, please contact Melissa Macaluso. Licenses | Department of Marine Resources But it could have far-reaching effects.. For assistance, call the DMR Licensing Division at 207-624-6550, Option 2. (Copyright (c) 2022 The Associated Press. 28. The last open lobster zone closed in 2016. At the time, neither realized he would need to log his workdays and hours before turning 18 to get a student license. That would instantly add more than 50 new fishermen to the industry during an era of high catches and strong prices, but also concern about warming oceans and new fishing restrictions designed to protect whales. Some state lawmakers want to help people like Masterson who have been languishing on the apprentice waitlist for years. In 2016, Seth Morrissette, a Boothbaysternman, begged the committee for help. At this rate, my 9-year-old daughter, Eden, will be able to fish and sell her lobsters before I will.. Comments are not available on this story. So you want to be a lobsterman - Portland Press Herald He testified with his 3-year-old son, Levi, by his side. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Some of the links below are PDF files, and may require Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader (download here) to view or print. 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. Some Maine lobster license changes approved - National Fisherman But students who complete their apprenticeship before they turn 20, or 23 if they are in college, can bypass the list altogether. Kvorjakstarted fishing when he was in middle school after his mother married a lobsterman. 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. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. And my father should be able to retire.. 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. 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. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Sustainable Lobster Fishing | Maine Lobster Now 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. 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. Lobster license changes up for debate in Maine State House Learn more. When they finish, they put their names on a waiting list for a license. 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. 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. The proposal is up for a hearing on Tuesday before the Committee on Marine Resources. //]]> The proposal is among a suite of changes proposed to the lobster licensing system in Maine. In July 2008, after completing the program, Masterson was added to a list of area fishermen waiting for a state lobster license. But thats just a side gig. 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 Commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources says keeping . Limited-entry waiting list shortens | News | mdislander.com Lobsterman Jim Buxton climbs up from a dock where after checking on the bilge pump on his lobster fishing boat during frigid temperatures Thursday in Portland. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Gov. Others say they shouldnt be penalized simply for developing an interest in lobster fishing later in life. It will be your responsibility to obtain the appropriate tag, as outlined below. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. The number of tags you purchased in 2020 can only increase by 100 in 2021 until you reach your eligibility limit, zone limit or boat limit. Ones name will be removed from the list if they do not respond by Sept. 2. By The Associated Press PORTLAND . But for the most part, lobstermen dont feel a pressing need to change the system, he said.