Maine Lobster Zone C Council Meeting Minutes
Lobster Zone C Council Meeting
Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery
East Orland
January 15, 2009 - 1 p.m.
Present: Earl Hamilton, John Candage, Vance Bunker, Ryan Haskell, Hilton Turner, Paul Venno, Dan MacDonald, Mike Sherman, Frank Gotwals, Robert Ray
1. Begin at 1 p.m.
Approval of minutes from October 28
Minutes from September 18 tabled – Some incorrect information
2. Lobster Advisory Council report –
Discussion of tiered licenses – Full time and part time. How to set up criteria? Taxes don’t work well. Use landings and number of traps fished? People have a problem with the 20,000 pound landing that was mentioned in Commercial Fisheries News.
Trap tag freeze discussed and voted down.
3. DMR Update –
DMR asked by Governor to cut budget. DMR proposes to raise fees on all licenses by 15% to make up shortfall.
ASMFC – Public hearings to discuss herring quota. 45 metric tons. They want to know when is the best time for fishermen to get their bait over the season to try to alleviate shortages. Also discussing limiting entry to Area 1 federal lobster permits. Not clear on what rules will be.
Zone D – Will vote at next meeting on whether to set up regulation so that hauling after 4 p.m. during June, July and August would be prohibited.
Zone F – considering separate waiting list for student licenses. 77% of survey they sent out was in favor of a waiting list.
Shrimp trap fishermen must comply with all whale rules.
FAME – Has special low interest loans to purchase sinking rope to help fishermen comply with whale rules.
4. DMR Pending Legislation –
Increase in penalties and mandatory suspensions of licenses for violations on lobster laws. Commissioner may suspend license for life for habitual offenders.
Changes to owner/operator law – to close loop hole so it’s harder for people to go lobstering out of two boats.
Zone councils – individuals elected to council must have clean license for seven years.
LD141 – Person 65 years or older who had a lobster license before but did not renew for consecutive years may get a lobster license with 300 tags without going through apprentice program.
Island Management area being discussed. Legislation to help fishermen on islands with less access to resources than mainland fishermen.
5. District Representative Reports –
Cape Rosier – Things slow. Concern for losing guys if Zone is closed.
Bluehill – Things slow.
Deere Isle – Few younger guys have questions of what will happen if zone is closed
Isle Au Haut – Town is discussing some sort of separate sub-zone if zone is closed. Very concerned island will have a hard time gaining or even keeping people if there is limited access to lobster licenses.
Matinicus/Criehaven – Concern of limited entry issue and whale rules which will impact them a lot.
North Haven - Concern over limited entry. Fishermen are split some over closing zone but many are concerned that if too many fishermen are lost there will be trouble holding bottom
Vinalhaven – Things slow, concern for price, whale rules, and too many people going lobstering.
Stonington – Deere Isle – Not many guys fishing. Support to close the zone. Seems like a lot of people going lobstering.
6. Discussion of Limited Entry –
DMR information – 2008 – 8,555 tags retired and 32 licenses retired.
2008 – 10 new licenses and one student license. If all licenses build up to 800 tags eventually the number of tags in zone is about the same. Zone has roughly maintained number of licenses and tags over last few years, but many feel there are more traps in the water than ever.
Concern for lack of opportunities for young people if zone is closed.
Concern of holding bottom for smaller islands if zone is closed.
Concern that there are too many people trying to get a slice of a pie that seems to be getting smaller. People coming from far away to go lobstering out of harbors on mainland.
Chairman reads letter from Isle Au Haut selectmen. They are very concerned about limited entry in Zone C. Isle Au Haut does not have enough people for their community to survive. They want to get more people to move to the island. Lobstering is one of the main sources of income and if newcomers aren’t able to get a lobster license they won’t be able to live there. They definitely can’t afford to loose any licenses,
Motion to vote in favor of closing the zone. Vote 5-5. Motion failed.
7. Discussion of 5 Year Apprentice Program
Council can only change the number of years in apprentice program from 2 to 3, 4 and 5 years. Not sure if council can change other requirements. Discussion of ideas to change apprentice program to make it more restrictive to maybe slow down number of people getting into lobstering in Zone C without closing the Zone.
Motion to change apprentice program requirements to 3 years – 1500 hours and 300 days. All in favor. Send out for recommendation. DMR has to check if it can be done and how it can be done.
8. John Higgins – NMFS Gear Specialist
Can have float line for gangion line but must be of a reasonable length, not a whole tailor line.
Have to have weak line on all floatation on endline.
There is no restriction to amount of floating rope in endline. There was some question of 2/3 rule for floating rope in endline.
John Sais he has not heard from anyone anywhere that trap reduction is part of any future whale plan as some people have said. There is a possibility of a reduction in number of endlines, but not traps. May have to not fish singles of even pairs.
9. Meeting adjourned 4:30 p.m.
