Maine to Reimburse Commercial Fishermen's License Fees!!

[Diesel Jerry]

Let’s not forget the millions of dollars that that were shelled out to other industries in the name of Covid relief. All kinds of small businesses were given thousands of dollars to help them through that crisis.

Comparing a recreational doe permit that cost $12 to the cost of a class 3 lobster license and trap tags so you can make a living is just ignorant. How much time have you really spent on deck of a lobsterboat. There is a big difference in growing up around lobstering and growing up in it. Owning your own boat, fishing your own traps, or working as a sternman.

 

[CCtuna]

People need to stop spending beyond their means and expecting the government to bail their sorry ass out.

L comment. A lot of guys are looking at almost $1000 a day just in bait and fuel and that’s before paying crew, insurance, maintenance, etc. not much left for the capt/owner to take home. Not to mention the lobster price is not great and sounds like it’s gonna get worse. Getting at most 1400 back that they ALREADY PAID is a mere drop in the bucket.

 

[CCtuna]

You were the one saying these guys were making all the money last fall, did they spend it already?

I did..? Yes last year was a good one for lobstering along with most other harvesters. That was also after 2 very lean years with Covid where most guys were selling product out of their trucks in a parking lot. Now operating costs have just about tripled and the lobster price is trending weak. Not sure how you can have an issue with these guys just getting their permit and tags free for a year. This doesn’t even affect me I’m from NH and fish as a side hustle, I have a full time job that pays the bills but I think if anyone deserves a little break it’s Maine lobstermen

 

[Diesel Jerry]

I did..? Yes last year was a good one for lobstering along with most other harvesters. That was also after 2 very lean years with Covid where most guys were selling product out of their trucks in a parking lot. Now operating costs have just about tripled and the lobster price is trending weak. Not sure how you can have an issue with these guys just getting their permit and tags free for a year. This doesn’t even affect me I’m from NH and fish as a side hustle, I have a full time job that pays the bills but I think if anyone deserves a little break it’s Maine lobstermen

CCTuna I think it’s just a partial not complete reimbursement. Like you I think they deserve it. Just look at the hoops these guys are jumping through to follow the whale regulations. It’s a smart move for Mills (no I still don’t like her) and the money will end up back in the Maine economy. I would rather see the money go to hard working lobstermen and women than the pan handlers in Portland. At least you know it’s an investment with returns. People see the new big boats and shiny new trucks but have no clue the amount of work it took to get there. They rather point their finger and say “no fair”. The real irony here is we are on a forum that is based on a style boat that nobody would ever know existed if not for the Maine lobsterman.

 

[Diesel Jerry]

The lobsterman/woman you see with the 500K and up boat and the shiny new truck started out like this…. When he was 12. It didn’t come overnight and it didn’t come easy.

 

[Diesel Jerry]

Also if you read a little further than the headline you would also see it’s not just for the lobstering industry. If you read the Consolidated Appropriations Act it helped 100’s of different industry’s.
Don’t get triggered by headlines. Read the article. Dig a little further.

 

[Keelboater]

".................... I am done bitching and moaning about shit I have no control over."

Somehow, I highly doubt that.

 

[05bill]

Finally some good news! Maybe we shouldn’t feed her to the shark in Harpswell!

Yes you should feed her to the shrk !! Knee jerk reaction instead of attacking the problem !!! All these legislative politicians throw money at everything instead of fixing the problem. Drill baby drill and watch inflation come down !!!!

 

[Snake8]

If any of you that are all against these "handouts" were consistent in your logic, you should be mad at every industry in this country that gets tax breaks and subsidies, oil and gas, farming, real estate all get huge subsidies. Fishing is one of the least supported industries in this country. And a big FU to anyone that judges a guy who has a nice boat. Those guys worked for those boats, most guys sink every last dollar back into their business. In Maine at least that is the entire value of their business, why wouldnt you invest in it?

Sorry but I cant stand the hypocrisy of saying I worked hard and didnt get shit from anyone while pointing a finger at another guy who did the same thing. You got something, your just not willing to admit it. You got roads to drive on, police and fire to protect you etc etc and on and on. There is plenty to bitch at these days whatever your political flavor, but shitting on guys getting 1400 back seems pretty petty.

 

[Joe blow]

What about the 17 year old who worked hard to get a commercial lobster license and gear and a boat but wasn't 18 in January? Kinda sucks but I guess it's a good life lesson starting out

 

[Diesel Jerry]

What about the 17 year old who worked hard to get a commercial lobster license and gear and a boat but wasn't 18 in January? Kinda sucks but I guess it's a good life lesson starting out

His license is much cheaper and he probably doesn’t have 800 trap tags to buy. Not to mention considerable less overhead. When I was 17 I had 100 traps, 12’ skiff, and a 40 Yamaha outboard. No sternman to pay. Generally speaking the older guys keep an eye out for the younger guys too. I used to get all kinds of free bait, good deals on old traps and stuff like that. Keep in mind that the cost of trap tags went up from .50 cents to .75 cents.

 

[PatriciaLynn]

All I know is I get my $133 back for my aquaculture license. Hopefully I also get my $10 back for my crab license! Bring on the handouts!

 

[Tautog]

wish mass would do this... I will gladly take the "handout" lol

 

[traditions]

Just this last winter, the lobster industry in Maine was told the tag fees would be once again increased to fund Marine Patrol. Now we are getting the money back from the Governor? How things change in a couple months.Our governor is more interested in making Maine the leader in offshore wind , and the lobster industry is in the way. Gov Mills has taken $ 1.4 million from a right whale conservative group for her re election campaign. She has proposed some large amounts of money for the lobster industry, that she knew would never pass. These handouts of government money do not help the lobstermen in the public eye. If you ever read the comments in any article in local news paper, you find mostly negative comments against the lobster industry. I dont want any handouts or kickbacks from anyone. I just would like to be allowed to work as we have for hundreds of years. This whale issue could possibly change the coast of Maine as we know it forever. There are no right whales where we fish. NMFS says they dont even fly over the GOM any more looking for whales, because they are not there, yet , they impose regulations that make no sense, and then , afew years later, they think up another round of off the wall bullshit they want to impoes, and away we go, with another hair brained regulation thought up by some people that have no clue what they are doing, but have a huge amount of money behind them. This has been going on for close to 20 years, and there is no end to their agenda untill the lobster industry is reduced to a part time hobby, with not enough left to support a full time living.Its all about the big game,Wind Power, and the Maine lobsterman is in the way.

 

[Roccus7]

If you ever read the comments in any article in local news paper, you find mostly negative comments against the lobster industry.

So true and I've given up trying to present logic to a vocal group of "self proclaimed" nautical/lobstering experts that couldn't tell the difference between a nun and a can!!

 

[Diesel Jerry]

So true and I've given up trying to present logic to a vocal group of "self proclaimed" nautical/lobstering experts that couldn't tell the difference between a nun and a can!!

Yup, or the difference between the north end or the south end of a string.

 

[Fishnjess]

Handouts? How about reinvestments? And IMHO directly a to labor force. Where I sit it’s a lot better that way then to give a tax break to a company that floats investment over seas. Investment overseas is like foreign aid, never helps the people that pay it!

 

[traditions]

Handouts? How about reinvestments? And IMHO directly a to labor force. Where I sit it’s a lot better that way then to give a tax break to a company that floats investment over seas. Investment overseas is like foreign aid, never helps the people that pay it!

These are govt handouts. This money comes from the fed.This is why we are where we are today. Just imagine if people had to justify their existence.. .