Lobster Zone D Council Meeting
July 11, 2007
Rockland Ferry Terminal
6:30 PM

Present: Michael Dawson, Doug McLennan, Joe Bates, Kevin Glover, Jason Witham, Mike Hutchings, Dan Staples, Jason Hooper, Wayne Canning, Gerry Cushman, James Wotton, Wayne Canning and Rep. Mazurek. Others present: Commissioner George Lapointe, Lt. Jon Cornish, MP Sgt. Rene Cloutier, Sarah Cotnoir, Carl Wilson, Kathleen Reardon, Jeni Menendez, Donna Hall, Mathew Thomson, Matt Webber, Sherm Stanley, Lucas Chioffi, Rich Shea and Kole Lord.

The meeting was called to order at 6:40 by Zone D Chairman Michael Dawson.

Motion: (G. Cushman and D. Staples) To accept May 29, 2007 minutes. (Unanimous in favor)

Delegate Reports:

Lobster Advisory Council
Gerry Cushman said the Lobster Advisory Council has not had a meeting since our last zone council meeting on May 29th.
Whales
Joe Bates said he had read in the newspaper that the whale rules are expected to be out by October 1st. Commissioner Lapointe said that the Federal Environment Impact Study is expected to be out by mid-August and that it is critical for people to comment. Mike Dawson asked when they will go in to effect. George said he is not sure of the effective date or the critical issue of where the line will be. Dan Staples said we need to be prepared. George said we need to have a unified position and we may need to get our Congressional delegation involved. Doug said he didn’t think the rope buyback program was a good idea because he thought it sent a message that we could live with that. Sarah said they had targeted Zone F & G and those with federal permits. They were applying for more money for other areas and that the guys in the southern part of the State were doing it. Doug said what works for the south doesn’t work here. George said the Feds need to know that one size doesn’t fit all.
Zone C – Wayne Canning

Zone C has not had a meeting since we last met.

Zone E

Zone E had a meeting on June 5th. Leo LaRossa demonstrated a container that holds 8 lobsters up to 1 ½ lbs. each. The lobster goes from the boat to the customer with no extra handling of lobsters. He will be coming to the Lobster Advisory Council meeting in September.

DMR Updates

Zone B just adopted rules that require that people must apprentice in Zone B to get a license in Zone B and a sponsor must have held a license for 5 years before taking on an apprentice.

Sarah reminded the council that they need to vote on their lobster seed fund money and said that last year they put all their money toward research. Council members asked about the female lobster purchase program. Sarah asked Lt. Cornish how the liberation of female lobsters was going this year. Jon said they only had a few left to release and they would have the project completed and that they had a few dead ones. Carl Wilson said that was from handling stress and that it is very difficult to get dealers to participate in this program. Gerry said he had talked to some fishermen who had said they had found a bunch of dead lobsters. Sgt. Cloutier asked if they were soft-shell. Carl said all of the lobsters from this project should be hard-shell.

Dan Staples said he didn’t mind all of the money going to research again but he didn’t want to see that money going toward testing alternative bait and that he felt the bait manufacturers should be paying to test it and that they should not be allowed to do their own research. It should be an outside party. Gerry asked if Carl needed to do an RFP to get someone to do this type of research. Carl said that would be the Lobster Research and Education Board’s decision. George said these are important things to think about. Gerry asked if anyone has a problem with him going to the RED board with a proposal. Dan said he did, unless we know what the standards are for testing. Mattie asked Carl if there are any standards now and if not, can DMR come up with some. Carl said today’s standards can change tomorrow. George said you can study some of this stuff forever. Gerry said he would like to see 50% of the money go toward the purchase of hard-shelled lobsters to be released. Joe Bates asked what research entails. Carl said it involves growth, aging, hatcheries, what happens to the lobsters when released and their survival rates.

Motion: (D. Staples and G. Cushman) To put 50 % of the money toward research and 50% toward female lobster purchase. (Unanimous in favor)

LD 1870 - “An Act to Provide Flexibility within the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area”

Commissioner Lapointe said that all council members should have a copy of LD 1870 - “An Act to Provide Flexibility within the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area and To Strengthen the Eligibility Requirements for a Student Lobster Fishing License”, a copy of the letter written to DMR from the Monhegan fishermen giving their recommendations on their upcoming lobster season and a copy of the letter he wrote to Monhegan fishermen in response to their proposal. George explained what the law allows and both letters to the Zone D council and stated that he had met with the Monhegan fishermen prior to the Zone D meeting.

George said that Monhegan fishermen explained to him that because they are unsure of what their season will bring, that they have had two bad years and they are giving up September because of shedders that 300 traps is a scary number for them. George said that they also stated the Monhegan fishermen felt that the first year 450 traps was reasonable and it was giving up 25% of their gear and that they had concerns with losing their sternmen with only 300 traps. George said with the science studies that have been done on Monhegan and the analysis of landings statewide, DMR felt that 300 traps was reasonable with the extended fall season and asked the Zone D council members for their thoughts.

Kevin Glover said he didn’t see how Monhegan could do it with only 300 traps. Dan Staples said one part that bothers him is with the Lobster Conservation Management Area out there, there are slots for 17 and only 11 fishermen, it’s like a tight rope. Dan also commented that he thought that a Monhegan license holder coming to the mainland should have to go on a waiting list if they want to fish in Zone D. Dan suggested that if a current lobster license holder has to take the Monhegan apprentice program, then a Monhegan license holder should have to take an apprentice program if they go to the mainland.

Jim Wotton said maybe instead of 300 traps, give them 450 and shorten up their season by a month, starting November 1st. Doug said give them 475 traps for 12 months. Dan said he wouldn’t want to have to try to fish with 300 traps. Carl Wilson said that the letter that George sent is reasonable. George said Monhegan came to us with problems; I have been here 8 years and haven’t seen a normal year yet. Gerry said it shows what’s happening to the industry. Dan said 300 is too low. George said I need your advice. Gerry said he recommended 400 traps with 40 replacement tags. Doug said he didn’t think they were out there to kill the resource, when you live on an island you have to lug everything uphill both ways. Gerry asked Matt if he though he could make it with 400 traps. Matt said they didn’t think they were being unreasonable. Jim said he thought 350 traps from October 1st through June 30th. Gerry said he would vote to give them 450 traps with no replacement tags or 400 traps with replacement tags. Kevin said give them 400 traps. Mattie said we don’t fish replacement tags, what the number is, is what we want. Doug said I wish we had what they have; it’s not like that here. Kevin said he recommended Zone D make a motion to give them 400 traps and Jason said he would second that. George thanked the Zone D Chair and council members for their advice.

The next meeting has not been scheduled. The council wants to wait until the after the whale rules come out.

Meeting adjourned at 7:40 pm.