MAINE, USA — Lobstermen in Maine have a new rule to abide by this new year that's separate from the battle over right whale regulations that recently caused a lot of controversy for the industry.
The new regulation requires all commercial lobstermen to make monthly, electronic reports to the state including details on where, when, and how many lobsters are caught, and how many traps are in the water.
“You know, if we wanted to do paperwork for a living, we probably wouldn’t have gone fishing,” lobsterman Steve Train said.
Although it’s a monthly report, Train explained it’s something he's doing almost every day.
“If I wait a month to try and find all my slips and put it all in, it’s not going to be very accurate," Train added. "If you have to have everything in monthly, you might as well be putting them in every few days.”
The regulation is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages fishery resources.
Before this year, only 10 percent of Maine commercial harvesters had to make the report.
“More data means management actions and regulations can be more targeted,” Maine Department of Marine Resources Communications Director Jeff Nichols said. “Any time you have a data-poor situation, regulations and management actions often have to be too broad and can impact people that don’t necessarily need to be impacted."
Nickols added, the department worked with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to postpone the new rule so it could develop the application lobsterman now use to make their report.
“As long as everything works alright, it’s ok,” Train said.
Although not excited about the new regulation, Train said he will do what’s needed.
"The regulators need data and the scientists need data," he said. "So if they need it, we’re going to have to give it to them.”