Consent

Decree

dissolved

Min guage

3-1/4”

Min gauge 3-3/16”;

max 5-3/16”

MLA secu

res

pro bono

legal council

MLA establis

hes

Maine Lobsterm

en’s

Community Allia

nce

MLA intervenes in

court

over whale

rules

White

appointed

to ASMFC

Ossie Beal electe

d

MLA president

MLA is founded;

Les Dyer e

lected

MLA president.

David Cousens

elected M

LA

president

McCarro

n

appointed to

Large Whale TRT

McCarro

n

becomes

executiv

e

directo

r

Patrice M

cCarro

n

hired

White

serves on

Pew Oceans

Commission

ASMFC

lobster

management

plan (Am 3)

First W

hale

Plan passed;

Vent incre

ase

First L

obster

Fishery

Management Plan

White named to

Atlantic

Large

Whale TRT

Pat White

hired as

executiv

e directo

r

• MLAconvictedbyafederaljudgeforlobsterpricefixing.Sixlobsterdealerspleadnocontest.

• MLApressurestheMaineLegislaturetomakelobsteratrap-onlyfishery.

1950s & 1960s: The Beginning

• MLAretainslawyerClaytonHowardtohelpMainelobstermenwithIRStaxaudits.

• MLAworkswithSen.MuskieandRep.Cohentodesignatesternmenasself-employedcontractorsthroughtheSternmen’sActof1976.

• MLAlobbiesMaineLegislatureforsalestaxexemptionforfishingequipmentandmachinery.

1970s: Taxes in the Forefront

• MLApushesNEFMCtoincludeMaine’slobsterconservationmeasuresinfirstmanagementplan.

• TheCouncilprohibitspossessionofv-notchedlobsters,butincreaseslobstergaugeto3-5/16inches.

• MLApersuadesthefedstohaltgaugeincreaseat3-1/4inches.

• MLAbeginsannualV-notchsurveytodocumentitsconservationvalue.

• MLAconvincesMaineLegislaturetomaintainmaximumgauge.

1980s: Lobster Management Begins

• MLAeffectivelyarguesthatlobstersarebestmanagedasacoastalspeciesbythestatesthroughASMFC,notNEFMC.

• MLApushesforArea1boundarytoextend40milesoffshoreandincludeMass&NH,expandingMaine’sconservationmeasuresbeyondstatewaters.

• MLAworkswithSen.Snowetoaddressunfettereddraggingforlobsterinfederalwatersresultingina100perdayor500pertriplimitoutsideofMaine.

• MLAsupportsestablishmentofMainelobsterzonestogivelobstermenagreatervoiceinlobstermanagement.

1990s: Maine Lobstermen Expand their Voice

• TheMLArepresentslobstermeninwhaleprotectioneffortsandsecuresprobonolegalrepresentationfromprestigiouslawfirmtorampupitsfight.

• MLAandstatesuccessfullynegotiateexemptionof70%ofMainestatewatersfromsinkinggroundlinerule.

• MLAsupportsbanofherringmidwatertrawlersfromsummerfishingtoprotectherringstocks.

• MLApushesforanewherringstockassessment&researchoninshorestock.

2000s: Whales and Bait

• MLAfightstokeepdragger-caughtlobsterfrombeinglandedinMaine.

• MLAproducesnewsletterforalllobstermen.• MLAprovidesbusinesstrainingforlobster-

men,addresseslobsterqualityandlobbiestoincreaseindustryinvestmentinmarketing.

• MLAaidsresearchtokeeplobstermenfish-inginthefaceofwhalerules;MLApushesforanareabasedapproachfornewwhalerulesandtokeep70%ofMainestatewatersexemptfromtheserules.

• MLArecruitsnewindustryleadersandfostersrelationshipswithotherlobsterfisheriesthroughinternationalexchangesinMaineandinCanada.

2010s: Complexity at Every Level

1954 - 2014: Independent & Involved for 60 years!

1954 1967 1974 1981 1983 1991 1992 1995 1997 2000 2002

Blackmore

appointed

to NEFMC

Ed Blackmore electe

d

MLA president

2008 2010

1956MLA organize

s

tie-up over p

rice

1958 1960Max gauge 5”

1989 2007MLA offe

rs group health

and vessel in

surance

MLA group health

insurance plan fo

lds

2014