The following is a statement from DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher in response to today's announcement by the Sustainable Maine Fishing Foundation of a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court regarding the tracker requirement for federal lobster permit holders:
"It’s ironic that a few members of an industry which has voiced a strong opinion that Maine needs to do more to protect this fishery are now resisting efforts to gather the data necessary to help defend their interests in the long run. I believe their arguments have no merit. Data from the trackers is a critical component of the Atlantic states’ effort to ensure that the lobster industry is not burdened with management decisions based on assumptions derived from insufficient data."
Patrick Keliher
Commissioner
Department of Marine Resources