The lobster industry needs to go back to basics now that the turmoil has finally unfolded. “The cat is out of the bag,” so to speak.
Leadership’s role in the industry has remained ill-directed and not proactive in that it allowed several years of expanded effort after it established trap limits, which doubled the effort, but led the leading, motivated fishermen, who had fished maybe 1,500 traps prior to the 800-trap limit, to give up income!
This “overfishing” happened to the state’s sea urchin, fish, and scallop fisheries, which, as a result of the same continued efforts, are now a total disaster. Let’s not add lobster to that list!
Obama says we need leadership change throughout! A mandate! I say we need a leadership change in the lobster industry.
For last few years, the lobster industry has been led by the non-marketing sector, which has set boat prices way higher than the true value has been indicated for this highly perishable lobster product. A particularly good example of this would be the too-high prices at times for our poor quality shedder lobsters that were, in turn, handled poorly on many wharves. (Where is PETA when we need it?) This rough handling resulted in high shrinkage and lower than normal (and at times nonexistent) marketing margins. These lower margins, in turn, led to weakness in the entire Maine marketing structure. Prices were higher than the product’s true value, marketing margins were lower than normal, and operating costs have risen. Price, margins, and operating costs are all out of balance with one another.
The harvesting sector is now crying wolf: saying they are not receiving a fair price for their shedders. Some, outside the fishing community are trying to influence the lobster industry, saying we are losing our wharves we use. That is not true. The same wharves within 10 miles of Spruce Head in any direction have handled over four times as much volume now as they did 45 years ago. This fear factor is unproven and is being amplified by non-industry know-it-alls with their bogus programs that have been proven to be un-needed. My wharf, along with the other three wharves in Spruce Head, could handle another 80 boats and still have room to service more!
The true value of lobster has settled in during these harder times, a natural process that has happened before over my 46 years here in this industry as a worldwide marketer of the state’s lobster.
Processing in the state will help the situation, but only if the price and market is right. I have not seen that yet, and November is way too late in any year to start! So I will keep the key to my processing facility in my pocket until an active leadership is found that will accept and implement proactive change instead of avoiding true industry problems. The true fishermen will survive without charity.
Get the fluff people with their self-righteous programs out of the industry and let the lobster industry run the normal supply-and-demand course that it has for a 100 years without their interference. Most of the true fishermen don’t want or need it!
Lobsters for Maine’s Future? Keep the bugs out!
Bill Atwood is owner of the William A. Atwood Lobster Co. in Spruce Head.