A lobster fisherman drops an undersized lobster into the water while fishing off Kennebunkport in 2022. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press, file

Value of Maine lobster fishery rebounds in 2023 despite smallest catch in 15 years

UNITED STATES
Tuesday, March 05, 2024, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

The following is an excerpt from an article published by Portland Press Herald:

Lobstermen brought in $464 million last year, a nearly 20% jump from 2022 that was propelled by a dockside price of $4.95 per pound, the second highest on record.

ROCKPORT — Maine lobstermen raked in $464 million at the docks last year, rebounding from the worst year the fishery had seen in a decade, according to the annual report released Friday by the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

The increase in the value of Maine’s famed fishery comes even as lobstermen reported the smallest catch in 15 years, at 94 million pounds. The jump in value was partly due to the second-highest boat price on record, $4.95 per pound.

The dwindling number of landings isn’t necessarily a surprise, though. State officials and members of the lobstering community say the decrease reflects the impacts of high costs of operating the fishery last year. And the dip in poundage indicates how lobstermen navigated the challenging obstacles.

“Fishermen are now very strategic about how they fish. Expenses are through the roof, so you can’t afford to be out if you’re not making money,” said Patrice McCarron, a lobsterman and policy director with the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “That causes the number of trips to go down and is going impact the amount of lobster that we all brought in.”

Amid mounting costs, the size of lobstermen’s 2023 catch was actually rather predictable, McCarron said at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport on Friday.

Ethan Turner, a Stonington lobsterman, said the costs for bait, fuel, repairs and traps have all soared in the last few years. He estimates his bait has increased by 33%.

“Everything we need to do our business has gotten more expensive,” Turner said.

And his catch was slightly down last year.

Craig Stewart, who has lobstered on Casco Bay for 35 years, said that he paid $30,000 to $40,000 for fuel last season. In the mid-2000s, he paid $10,000 each season.

Author: Kay Neufeld | Read the full article by clicking the link here

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