PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 11, 2020
Maine’s lobster industry is threatened by “a perfect storm” as it faces a crippling lack of demand because of both the pandemic and the China trade war, and a cascade of impacts from government-mandated restrictions seeking to protect the endangered right whale. Regulators would be better served to enact effective management measures in Canada rather than targeting Maine, where right whales are rare and the lobster fishery has a stellar track record for whale protection. Giving to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association Legal Defense Fund will mitigate the impact of right-whale rules and protect thousands of other businesses. ~ Larry Barker, Machias Savings Bank