Lobster Zone C Council Meeting
Jewett Community Center
Bucksport
January 28, 2008 – 6:30 p.m.

 

Present: Glenn Billings, Ryan Haskell, Dan MacDonald, Robert Ray, Paul Venno, Hilton Turner, Mike Sherman, Vance Bunker, Steve Alley, Jason Day, John Candage, Ted Ames, Todd Nicodenie, Tim Bunker, Donald Jones, Susan Jones, Scott Ingraham, Russell Bray, Steve Robbins, Walter Willey, Alan Poland, Charles Stone, Jeff Jones, Jr., Robbie Gray, Jeff Eaton, Claire Grindal, Wayne Canning, Richard Bridges, Randy Eaton, Rich Crowley, Annie Tselikis, Steve Rapport, Ryan Larrabee, Richard Larrabee, Jr., Carl Wilson, Melissa Smith, Kathleen Reardon, Sarah Cotnoir, Donna Hall, MPO Sgt. Dale Sprowl, MPO Rustin Ames and MPO Kurt Soneson.

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chair Hilton Turner with an introduction of new council members.

Election of Officers was held with the following members elected:

Hilton Turner – Chair
Mike Sherman – Vice Chair
Dan MacDonald – LAC Rep. with Mike Sherman as Alternate
Ryan Haskell – Secretary

Minutes from the April 24, 2007 meeting were approved by the council.

LAC report by Dan MacDonald:

Blue Seal Feeds is going to make another type of alternative bait. Leo LaRossa presented an idea of putting lobsters in segregated totes and ship right to the retailer. This would require a lot of room on the deck of the boat and only one size lobster will fit in each cubicle.

DMR Updates:

Harvester reporting is starting this year. 10% of lobstermen will receive log books to fill out. All closed zones will now use trap tags to determine their exit ratio in order to reduce more traps in the water. 1:1 would be 800 trap tags retired to enable one license to be added to the zone. 3:1 would be 2400 trap tags retired to enable one new license to be added to the zone.
Student licenses are a problem in closed zones. Zones are now able to make a separate waiting list for students if the want to. With the new law now people have to be at least 17 years old to obtain a commercial license and build up to 800 traps from 300 traps. There was discussion on how that affects islands.

Reports from Districts: Almost everyone is done fishing for the winter.

Zone Management Options Discussion:

Survey results – 29% of the surveys sent out were returned and the majority of the responses were in favor of closing the zone. Discussion on how questions on the survey may not have been clear. People would like more information sent out and more effort by the council to get people to meetings. Only so much that DMR and Council can do to get the word out. The Council discussed sending out another survey but will have to close zone in order to send out another survey. There was a lot of concern about increasing effort in Blue Hill, Brooklin and Deer Isle districts. Council members from those districts reported a lot of support for closing zone. There was concern from Criehaven; they have limited sites and regulate entry themselves. If the zone is closed they may lose fishermen and never get them back. The Islands are concerned about losing young people. Possible separate waiting list for island zone or each district allowed to set own entry rules discussed. If these things were done there would be problems with enforcement.

Discussion of how other closed zones are working. It doesn’t seem to be working too well which is why the Legislature is now going to use trap tag numbers instead of licenses to determine entry. Concern of how many traps people are really fishing in comparison to trap tags purchased. We may still end up with more traps in the water.

Motion to vote to send out a questionnaire to Zone C fishermen to close the zone with exit ratios. (A yes vote would close the zone until survey is returned.)

Vote was 4 Yes and 5 No
Zone C is still open.

Whale Discussion:

Inside exemption line – status quo questions why State will still enforce whale rules when federal government says we don’t have to.
From exemption line to three mile limit DMR proposes use of low profile rope on ground lines. All sink line on groundline outside exemption lines proposed by DMR. There was discussion of use of singles prohibited in low profile area.

Next meeting: Mid-April in Vinalhaven

Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Ryan Haskell