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October 2012 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 11. NEWS FROM THE DOWNEAST LOBSTERMAN ASSOCIATION


Downeast Lobstermen’s Association Meeting Minutes


Dockside Restaurant, Belfast May 10, 2012


Attendance: President; Clive Farrin, Executive Director; Sheila Dassatt, Richard Alley, Eve Alley, John Chipman, Sr., Gerry Chipman, Glenn Holland, Cathy Holland, Scott Beede, Tanya Beede, Keith Otis, Travis Otis, Sarah Cotnoir, Jon Johansen The meeting opened at 6:14 with President; Clive Farrin presiding. The minutes were read and reviewed with a motion to accept by Keith Otis, seconded by Richard Alley. The motion carried. The Treasurer’s report was reviewed with a motion to accept made by Keith Otis and seconded by Richard Alley. The motion was passed.


The Executive Director’s report was given by Sheila with a full account of all of the items that were on the agenda. This included a Fishermen’s Forum update as well as an LAC Subcommittee update. She told about the licensing meetings that were being held at the present time. Letters were signed and sent out with Marty Hamblen to inform the membership of their International Special Risks benefits for lobster boat insurance. We are also working on adding our advertisers to the Maine Coastal News. Jon Johansen reported that we are still working on adding our D.E.L.A. news and advertisers in the Maine Coastal News. He also stated that we will be working on establishing Constant Contact in the new future. If anyone had suggestions, he is willing to help.


Sarah gave an update on the LAC Subcommittee meetings that are working on marketing with John Sauve of the Food and Wellness Group. At this point in time, the


licenses and tags are in discussion as well as the harvesters and dealers paying into the marketing at a fair ratio. The plan expands over a three year time period. She stressed the importance of attending the meetings that will be held with the fi shermen in their local areas in June. We are working with the fi shermen’s suggestions and looking at what they approve and disapprove of for their marketing. It is very important that we are all involved with our industry. After Sarah spoke, she was open to a question and answer period for our information. The meetings for the LAC Subcommittee will be held on June 12, 14, 18 & 19 with a complete list of locations on the DMR & D.E.L.A. e-mail and in the Maine Coastal News.


Richard asked what the surcharge will be will be used for, specifi cally. Clive explained how the present Promotion Council works with the funding. Everything goes under the Maine label to prove it is a Maine lobster. We need to brand our product. There are a lot of locations in the country that label all of their lobster as Maine lobster which can give us a bad reputation if the quality of the lobster is not good. We also will need to know and stay informed if this new system of marketing works. We need updates.


Jon Johansen stated that a lot of people are maxed out with overhead and boat payments with some boats in repossession. It will be hard to afford the extra fees unless they start planning ahead. Part of the situation has been not planning ahead, which we need to do in the future. Scott and Tanya Beede told us about the entry meetings that are going on with Penobscot East Resource Center and supported by our lobster industry


associations.


They sent a letter to each member of the apprentice list for more feedback on their feelings about the waiting list. We may need to have two separate lists, a student list and an adult list. Zone C is still open and they have fewer fi shermen than a few years ago. We also need to look at latent license


effort. One of the problems is that some are holding on to their license in hope of selling it in the future. Another problem is that lobstermen do not like change. Sarah told us that there is a resolve coming up that is proposing a study on the entry system. Bids for the proposal are out right now and will be closing on May 31. The industry is taking a closer look at the entry system at the present time. The location for the next meeting will be in Ellsworth with a vote to have it scheduled for Thursday, July 12 @ 6:00 p.m. The location for the meeting will be announced. A motion was made to adjourn with the meeting ending at 8:55.


Respectfully submitted, Sheila H. Dassatt, Executive Director


Downeast Lobstermen’s Association Meeting Minutes


Jasper’s Restaurant, Ellsworth July 12, 2012


Attendance: President; Clive


Farrin, Vice President; Nick Lemieux, Commissioner; Patrick Keliher, Deputy


Commercial Fishing News


Commissioner; Meredith Mendelson, Executive Director; Sheila Dassatt, Toni Lilienthal, Hilton Turner, Richard Alley, Leroy Bridges, Donna Bridges, John Chipman, Sr., Gerry Chipman, John Chipman, Jr. & son, Theresa Chipman, Terry Savage, Sr., Terry Savage, Jr., Bob Fortin, Glenn Beal, Marty Hamblen, Scott Beede, Tanya Beede and son, Jacob SeeHusen, Norbert Lemieux, Ken Dennison Commissioner Pat Keliher gave an update on the boat prices. He also reported that Gov. LePage is in support of a marketing increase if we (the lobster industry) are in favor.


He will not dictate prices or stop the lobstermen from hauling their traps. This is not what the Maine government intends to do. It is not our place to dictate to the fi shermen when there is an over abundance of product.


Hilton asked how Alaska does their marketing. How do they do their pricing, also?


It doesn’t always turn out to be cooperative pricing when the prices have been set ahead of time.


Some of the suggestions that the Commissioner told us that he received from the fi shermen were: “we need fewer traps” which would result in less overhead expense.


Another suggestion was a gauge Continued on Page 22.


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