March 2014 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 11.
D. E. L. A. REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR Commercial Fishing News
From the Director – We have 28 days to Spring! For anyone that stuck it out this winter and stayed in Maine, “Kudos to you.” I heard on the radio that this was one of the toughest winters that we’ve had in many years. As I was putting this report together, we just had a thunder and lightning storm…in February. Better days are coming.
This has been a busy month. Since my last report, the legislature has been busy with bills such as Rep. Walter Kumeiga’s pesticide bill, which means that we do not want to have a major lobster die-off due to pesticides. At this point in time, this bill is going to have more scientifi c research dedicated to it. This seems agreeable to all involved. The acidifi cation bill which is sponsored by Rep. Mick Devin is also dealing with a little more research on the subject. Have you noticed that a lot of our concerns that we have been dealing with are environmental? I know that I have mentioned this in my last report, but it seems to be a growing concern.
The latest announcement is the closing of the Penobscot River due to mercury concerns with the lobsters that have been researched in this area. This closure will be from Wilson Point across to Fort Point and north into the river, which will be taking effect on February 22, 2014. This was a very well thought-through decision that the Department of Marine Resources had to make. The industry was able to be included in on the announcement which took place on Wednesday, February 19th a meeting that was held at the Bucksport
at
Middle School. The industry leaders were in attendance and I thought that the meeting went quite well, considering the impact of the announcement. There were fi shermen from the area there and it was met with questions and reasonable understanding of the situation. The quote that was given was as it reads: “This closure is being taken as a precautionary Measure in response to information the Department of Marine Resources recently received about mercury contamination in muscle tissue from lobsters found in this area.” As stated by Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “We chose to close this small area to harvesting for both commercial and recreational fi shermen as a precautionary approach that protects public health and ensures consumer confi dence that eating Maine lobster is safe and healthy while we conduct our own monitoring effort that will build on this new data. “Maine lobster is the best in the world and we’re taking very precautious steps to protect this valuable, unique resource and to assure consumers that they can continue to be confi dent that our lobsters are safe and healthy to eat,” stated Commissioner Keliher.
The Maine Marine Patrol will be working with the harvesters with removing gear and plans for on-going monitoring. Let’s all do the best that we can to work together for the well-being of our industry. By the time you read this, the announced meeting for the Channel Dredge will have been held. This meeting is to be held with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, and the Maine
Department of Transportation for a Water Quality Certifi cation pre-application public information meeting as required by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection on February 24, 2014 in Bangor. This meeting will be on the proposal for maintenance and improvement dredging of the Searsport Harbor Federal Navigation Project in Searsport. The Maine DOT is the non-Federal sponsor for the USACE Feasibility study.
The proposed project would enable deep draft vessels to access the port more efficiently, and transportation costs for goods arriving at the port would be reduced. This notice has gone out to Zones C and D lobster license holders and interested parties. The lobster industry’s concern is dealing with upsetting more of the bottom of the bay and disposing of the dredged material. A lot of people do not want to open “Pandora’s box” by disturbing the bottom
due to hazardous chemicals that may have settled and this will have an impact on the environment of the bottom, such as juvenile lobsters, and the marine growth and fi sh that have been coming back since the last dredging project that was done.
I could go on and on about all of these subjects, but I would rather invite you to come to the Maine Fishermen’s Forum that will be held on Feb. 27, 28 and March 1st at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine. D.E.L.A. will be having a booth and a meeting on Saturday, March 1st
at 2:45 in
the Camden Room. Please come along and talk with us about your questions, concerns and think about “coming aboard and joining us.”
The more voices that we have, the stronger our voice is in the industry. We’ll see you there! Sheila
AUCOCISCO II on her way to Long Island off Portland.
58 Fore Street, Portland 04101, Located on the waterfront off Commercial Street. 1000 to 1800 Friday and Saturday and 1000 to 1600 on Sunday
MAINE BOATBUILDER’S SHOW 14, 15 and 16 March 2014
Come see the fi nest wood and fi berglass boats in the Northeast! Come and meet the builders. Sail, power, canoes, kayaks and skiffs will all be on display.
A.L. Brown Co.
Accutech Marine Propeller Adirondack Guideboat Airhead Products Allied Boat Works Antique Boat Museum Antique Tools & More Artisan Boatworks Awlgrip Back Cove Yachts Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Bass Products, LLC Bath Industrial Sales Bay of Maine Boats Beta Marine US Ltd Bete Fleming, Inc. BFC Marine Boats & Harbors Boatwise Marine Training Bohndell Sails Bomon Inc.
Boothbay Region Boatyard Bristol Bronze BRP US Inc.
Brunswick Cushion Company C. W. Hood Yachts Cape Cod Shipbuilding Chart Metal Works Inc. Classic Boat Shop Coastal Climate Control Compass Project Cottrell Boatbuilding
Covey Island Boatworks Cumberland Ironworks Cummins NE LLC Custom Float Services Devlin Designing Boatbuilders DSKI Design Eastern Boats Inc. Edson Corporation Elco Motor Yachts Epifanes North America Inc. Eric Dow Boat Shop Fatty Knees Boat Co. Front Street Shipyard General Marine Geo. Kirby Jr. Paint Co. Gulf of Maine Yacht Sales Hallett Canvas & Sails Hamilton Marine Hansen Marine Harbour Lights
Heritage Panelgraphics Hunt Yachts
Hurricane Island Foundation Interlux Paints
International Chromium Co. International Yacht Restoration Island Cow Ice Cream Johanson Boatworks John Deere Marine John Williams Boat Co.
2014 Exhibitors
Journey's End Marina Kittery Point Yacht Yard Kraft Power Corp. Langer Enterprises LBI
Limestone Boats
Mack Boring & Parts Co. Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Maine Built Boats Maine Coast Heritage Trust Maine Coastal News Maine Electric Boats Maine Island Trail Association Maine Maritime Academy Maine Maritime Museum Maine Yacht Center Maritime Boats Maritime Funding Assoc. Marlinspike Magazine Martin Walter Company Inc. Middleton Boatworks MMES Custom Panels Morse Overland Marine Mudd Knives
National MS Society Nautilus Marine Fabrication New England Bow Thruster Noreast Marine Systems North Atlantic Infl atables Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Assoc.
NuImage Awnings of Maine Ocean Link
Ocean Navigator Ocean Options Inc. Ocean Planet Energy Ocean Pursuits
Old Charts of New England Padebco Custom Yachts Paul E. Luke, Inc. Pease Boatworks Pettit Paint
Points East Publishing Pompanette
Portland Head Sail & Power Portland Yacht Services Questus Marine Quick Line USA R & W Traditional Rigging Ranger Tugs
RBG Cannons, LLC
Richard Stanley Custom Boats Robinhood Marine Center Ross Bros. Rossiter Boats Rumery’s Boatyard SailMaine Sawyer & Whitten Marine Sch. Ardelle & Maritime Gloucester Sea Bags, Inc. Sea Hawk Paint
Presented by Portland Yacht Services - (207) 774-1067
Seal Cove Boatyard SeaWorthy Productions Six River Marine
Smithwick & Mariners Insurance Soft Point Industries South Port Marine Steve Cayard SW Boatworks Swanson Boat Co. T & L Tools Teakdecking Systems The Harbor Sales Co. The Landing School Tow Boat U.S. Traditional Boat, LLC Travelers Insurance True Course Yachting, Inc. US Coast Guard Auxiliary Victron Energy N. A. Voyager Self Steering Waterman Marine Corp. Wayfarer Marine Wedgeport Boats Ltd. West System Inc. Wichard Inc. Wilbur Yachts Windward Passage Winterport Boatyard Women Under Sail WoodenBoat Yankee Lady Books Yankee Marina & Boatyard Yarmouth Boat Yard
www.portlandcompany.com
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