Senators Collins, King Push Senate Commerce Committee to Fast-Track Right Whale Regulation Pause

US Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) are urging the Senate Commerce Committee to move quickly on legislation extending the current pause on new North Atlantic right whale fishing regulations through 2035, following the House's passage of the bill earlier this month.

In a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Collins and King pressed the committee to advance the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act (H.R. 9436) as soon as possible...

Supreme Court to Weigh Maine Lobsterman's Fourth Amendment Challenge to GPS Boat Tracker Mandate

The US Supreme Court will decide on September 28 whether to hear a Maine lobsterman's challenge to a state requirement that he install a government GPS tracking device on his boat, in a case that could reshape the legal footing for vessel monitoring programs across the US commercial fishing industry, the Associated Press reported.

Frank Thompson, a federally permitted lobsterman, sued Carl Wilson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, arguing that the tracker requirement amounts to an unreasonable search and seizure under the Fourth...

NOAA Opens 60-Day Scoping Period on Potential Changes to Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan

Maine lobster fishermen have until Oct. 16, 2026, to submit public comments as NOAA Fisheries launches a scoping period for potential modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP), according to an advisory from the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Commissioner issued Sept. 1.

NOAA's announcement is not a notice of proposed rulemaking — rather, it is a request for public input on the scope of potential regulations. Comments gathered during the scoping period will inform discussions in 2026...

Maine Lobster Defamation Case Hits Turbulence at First Circuit

A defamation lawsuit brought by Maine lobster trade groups against the Monterey Bay Aquarium ran into serious skepticism at the First Circuit on Monday, with appellate judges questioning whether a libel claim can stand when it targets an entire industry rather than specific individuals — a ruling that could have broad implications for seafood sustainability ratings and press freedom alike, according to Courthouse News.

The case dates to 2022, when Seafood Watch gave American lobster a "red" environmental rating, citing the risk that lobster fishing gear poses to endangered...

Lutnick Pledges Maine Lobster Coordination, Disaster Relief Reform Under Bicoastal Senate Pressure

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faced intense scrutiny from senators representing both coasts during his April 22, 2026, Senate Appropriations Committee testimony, addressing mounting concerns over federal fisheries management from Maine's lobster industry to Alaska's disaster-stricken crab fleet.

Senator Susan Collins secured multiple commitments from Lutnick regarding Maine's lobster industry as the sector approaches a critical regulatory transition. With Congress's 2022 moratorium on new NOAA regulations affecting the American Lobster Fishery set to expire in 2028, Collins pressed for comprehensive industry coordination...

Maine Senators Press NMFS on Ropeless Gear Concerns as Industry Testing Continues

Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) are urging the National Marine Fisheries Service to fully consider Maine lobstermen's documented concerns about ropeless fishing gear requirements, and to continue stakeholder engagement as the agency prepares future North Atlantic right whale conservation rulemaking.

In a letter to NMFS Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñero Soler, the senators highlighted industry feedback from the recent Maine Fishermen's Forum, where lobstermen directly shared concerns about costs, safety risks, and operational challenges posed by ropeless technology mandates...

Maine Lobster Harvest Drops 8M Pounds in 2025, Value Down More Than $75M

Maine’s lobster fishery softened in 2025, with preliminary state data showing landings down by roughly 8 million pounds and total value falling by more than $75 million year‑over‑year.

The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) reported lobstermen landed 78.8 million pounds last year, generating just over $461 million at the dock. The average boat price was $5.85 per pound — the third‑highest on record — but higher per‑pound returns did not offset the volume decline...

ASMFC Lobster Stock Assessment: Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank Not Depleted but Overfishing Rising

A stock assessment found that the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (GOM/GBK) is not depleted but has dipped 34% since peak levels in 2018, and overfishing is taking place. Meanwhile, the Southern New England (SNE) stock remains “significantly depleted,” with record-low abundances for all life stages in recent years.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)’s American Lobster Management Board received the results this week.

“The Benchmark Stock Assessment is a considerable advancement in our understanding US American lobster resource...

Indiana’s Aquashell USA to Acquire Cozy Harbor Seafood and Affiliates in $6.5M Deal

Maine lobster processor Cozy Harbor Seafood, along with its affiliate companies Casco Bay Lobster and Art’s Lobster, was purchased by Indiana-based Aquashell USA for $6.5 million.

The deal includes the price of $2,015,099 for Cozy Harbor's accounts receivable, $2,738,920 in Inventory and $1,750,000 in property. The transaction now awaits court approval.

The sale comes after Cozy Harbor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July, as reported by Expana. The initial bankruptcy filing...

House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Delay New Right Whale Regulations for Lobster Industry Until 2035

Maine lobstermen moved closer to a near-decade-long reprieve from new federal regulations as the House passed the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act (H.R. 9436) on Sept. 1, extending the current moratorium on new North Atlantic right whale gear rules from 2028 through 2035.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and now heads to the Senate. It passed the House Natural Resources Committee on a 22-13 bipartisan vote in July before advancing to...

Maine DMR Launches Electronic Application System for Aquaculture Leases

The Maine Department of Marine Resources has launched an electronic application system for aquaculture leases, modernizing a process that had long relied on paper submissions and is described by state officials as a significant step forward for the industry.

The new system, which went live on August 18, is available through DMR's online licensing portal, LEEDS — the Licensing Enforcement and Environmental Data System — and is open to both experimental and standard lease applicants. DMR said the platform will "significantly streamline" the lease application process for Maine's aquaculture industry...

Trump White House Supports Delaying Right Whale Regulations for Maine Lobster Fishery Until 2035

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has announced it "strongly supports" legislation that would delay new fishing regulations affecting Maine's lobster industry from 2028 to 2035, giving the sector additional time to adapt to North Atlantic right whale protection measures.

The endorsement backs H.R. 8509, introduced by Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME), which would extend the current regulatory moratorium by seven years. In a Statement of Administration Policy published May 1, the OMB said that "if H.R. 8509 were presented...

NOAA Closes Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Area After Quota Reached

NOAA Fisheries announced that the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area will close to all federally permitted Limited Access General Category scallop vessels effective April 13, 2026.

The closure follows NOAA's projection that 100% of the 2026 Northern Gulf of Maine Set-Aside allocation will be harvested, according to an April 10 bulletin. The area will remain closed through the end of the fishing year on March 31, 2027.

Vessels that declared trips in the area and crossed the Vessel Monitoring System demarcation...

Maine Lobsterman Petitions Supreme Court Over GPS Tracking Rule

A Maine lobsterman has petitioned the US Supreme Court to hear his challenge of a federal rule requiring 24/7 GPS tracking on licensed lobster vessels, arguing the mandate violates Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless surveillance.

Frank Thompson, a fifth-generation lobsterman, seeks to overturn the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission rule passed in 2023 that requires all federally licensed lobster vessels to install and continuously operate GPS trackers that transmit location data to the government at least once per minute...

US Trade Representative Pressed to Address Gray Zone Rules Amid USMCA Discussions

Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) sent a letter to US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, urging updated rules for the Gray Zone, a 277-square-mile area of ocean near Machias Seal Island that is fished by both the US and Canada and remains one of America's only contested maritime borders.

Golden’s letter came amid testimony from two Maine fishermen to the International Trade Commission (ITC) last week. The meetings focused on potential changes to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)...

2025 Maine Scallop License Lottery Winners Announced

The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) has announced the latest winners of the state’s scallop license lotteries. The winners include the following:

• Drag Licenses
• Maxmilian Bogdanovich, Scarborough
• Morgan Wood, Marshfield
• Logan Alley, Jonesport
• Jared Taylor, Cutler
• Mccabe Burch, Thomaston
• Phillip Spearing, Owls Head
• Tyler Sukeforth, South Thomaston
• Geoffrey Barrett, North Haven
• Travis Atwood, Orland
• Joseph Locurto, Steuben
• Christopher Mcintire, Orrs Island
• Timothy Morgan, Pembroke
• Justin Wright, Machiaspoprt
• Jeffrey Conant, Harpswell
• Dive Licenses
• Matthew Garvey, Surry
• Joseph Baranello, Seal Cove
• Chris Burke, Ellsworth
• Nathan Matthews, Trescott...