Maine’s seafood celebrity, the lobster, made national headlines this summer when fishermen across the state brought in record hauls of the crustacean, leading to low market prices and frustration in the lobstering community.
Soft-shelled lobsters—known as “shedders,” (since they are newly molted from their old shells)—began showing up in traps as early as April, more than a month before they normally emerge, according to NPR. This has been attributed to the unusually warm winter and higher ocean temperatures.
As the supply of soft-shelled lobsters increased, prices dramatically dropped. At times this summer, prices dipped to an unprecedented $2.00 a pound, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Veteran lobstermen approximate that these prices mark a 30-year low.
Some lobstermen have opted to dock their boats in an attempt to counter the rapid influx of lobster into the market.
Tim Hanley ’15 lobstered in his native Falmouth, ME this summer, and noted the hardships that come with low prices in the lobstering community. Now in his fifth year of lobstering, Hanley says, “This season was definitely less profitable, as the price of lobster was at an all-time low and the prices of bait and gas were at all-time highs.”
Hanley worked for himself using 25 traps, receiving a higher than average price since he sold his lobster at retail price instead of selling his catch at wholesale price to distributors. Nonetheless, charging $3.99 per pound this summer was substantially less than the $6.50 he charged during his first season lobstering in 2008.
According to The New York Times, approximately 70 percent of Maine’s catch is currently sent to Canada to be processed into frozen or prepared foods and the state is trying to bring those jobs back to Maine.
On August 10, Governor Paul LePage used his weekly radio broadcast to address lobstering concerns, urging Mainers to support the addition of more in-state lobster processing facilities.
One week later, the Maine Lobster Advisory Council outlined a $3 million, three-year marketing strategy to overhaul brand identity and increase consumption of Maine lobster, according to The New York Times.
What can we as Maine students do to help the local lobstering community? We started the year off well at last Wednesday’s annual school-wide lobster bake, for which Dining Services purchased 1,400 lobsters from Quahog Lobster Company in Harpswell. Although neither Dining Services nor Quahog Lobster Company would disclose the price the College paid for the lobsters, as of Monday, their wholesale lobster price was $4 a pound.
If you and your friends are thinking of going out to dinner, consider supporting Maine lobster. Head to Libby’s Market for their famed and, at $9.50 for a generous small, quite reasonably priced lobster rolls. Or visit Cameron’s Lobster Shack (formerly Morse’s) on Bath Road, and pick up their summer special, a $16.95 Fried Lobster Basket.