Maine did it! So can New Hampshire!
Protect our Fishermen's Future Rally!
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ASMFC ruled in favor of a new government regulation - a gauge increase from 3 1/4" to 3 5/16", which will eliminate the most popular consumer size - 1 pound "chicken" lobsters.
Find out what's happening in Hampton-North Hamptonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
This regulation will decrease the lobstermen's catch by at least 10%, and the fishermen are concerned it could be much greater.
Fishermen generally spend $600 to $1,000 per day on bait, which is lobsters main source of food. They will be spending the same amount of money on bait but bringing in less lobsters, and of course we all know expenses are skyrocking.
Find out what's happening in Hampton-North Hamptonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
They are competing with foreign seafood flooding our markets and fully one-third of the product tested does not pass inspection. We are poisoning our people when we have fresh, heart healthy protein being caught locally and brought to market. If our lobstermen do not survive, much of our local economy will not survive either.
New Hampshire boats will be operating alongside Maine fishermen who have been protected by their politicians by deciding to not enforce this new regulation, and they will also be competing with Canadian boats that will not be adopting this new law.
Our fishermen, with decades and generations of experience, are complaining that the data being used by ASMFC is flawed and they can prove it but are not being listened to or brought into the process.
Come and meet the men and women who risk a lot to fish our oceans and are the economic drivers of much of our seacoast economy. Attend the Save Our Fishermen's Future event at the New Castle Rec Center Conference Room, 301 Wentworth Road, New Castle, NH at 6:00 PM.
For those who cannot attend, please call or email our new Governor Kelly Ayotte at (603) 271-2121 and ask her to support our lobstermen by joining Maine and declaring that New Hampshire will scrap the new regulations that can decimate our seacoast communities and destroy our fishing heritage.
New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen Association
NEFSA - New England Fishermen Stewardship Association
Maines Lobstermen Association
NH State Representatives Aboul Khan, Matt Sabourin dit Choiniere, Linda McGrath
