Maine Lobster

MSC Certificate Suspended for Gulf of Maine Lobster Fishery

December 7, 2022 Marine Stewardship Council

MRAG Americas, a third-party assessor responsible for monitoring fisheries’ conformance with the MSC Fishery Standard, today announced that the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery’s MSC certificate will be suspended. The suspension will be effective December 15, 2022, 30 days after the notice of suspension, at which point Gulf of Maine lobster will not be eligible to be sold as MSC certified sustainable or carry the MSC blue fish ecolabel on products.  …

Whole Foods’ Decision To Pull Maine Lobster Sparks Outcry From State’s Elected Officials and Lobster Industry

December 7, 2022 Rob Wile, NBC

Whole Foods’ decision, which was announced this month, was prompted by changes in sustainability ratings for Maine lobster fisheries by separate third-party seafood monitoring groups: the California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch and the London-based Marine Stewardship Council. …

Sustainability Group Pulls Lobster Certification Over Concerns About Harm to Whales

November 17, 2022 PATRICK WHITTLE, Associated Press

Representatives for Marine Stewardship Council, which is based in London, said Wednesday that the suspension of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery’s certificate will go into effect on Dec. 15. The organization said in a statement that the danger North Atlantic right whales face from entanglement in fishing gear is a “serious and tragic situation” of “grave concern to all those involved in the fishing industry.” …

Maine Lobster Industry, Environmental Group Reach Agreement to Delay New Regulations

October 28, 2022 Ted Homer, WGME

A new agreement could help the Maine lobster industry buy time in its fight to push back on tough new rules designed to protect endangered whales. …

Maine Lobster Fishermen Hire Ex-DOJ Official to Challenge New Whale Laws

October 13, 2022 Associated Press

Maine lobster fishermen have hired a former high-ranking U.S. Department of Justice official to represent them in their case against new laws intended to protect whales. …