Fisheries

Congresswoman Pingree and Senator King at the Maine Fishermen's Forum. U.S. Senator Angus King and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree have sent a letter to a regional NOAA official requesting additional information on measures being taken by the agency to ensure the future sustainability of the Gulf of Maine sea scallop fishery. The letter comes in the wake of problems that the area’s management plan ... Read more »

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin responded to today’s announcement that the European Commission’s Committee on Invasive Alien Species has decided that they will not proceed with the listing of American lobster as an invasive species at the European Union level. The decision brings an end to the proposal that threatened to end l... Read more »

A bill introduced by Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin to ease federal inspection of several species of seafood, including urchins exported from Maine, passed the U.S. House today. "Urchin dealers in Maine should be exempted from these inspections just like lobster and other shellfish are," Pingree said. "This is a highly perishable product and the shipments keep getting held up ... Read more »

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin released the following statement today in response to a decision by the European Union’s (EU) Scientific Forum on Invasive Alien Species to open up a broader review of Sweden’s request to declare American lobster as an invasive species and ban all imports of live lobster into the EU: “We find th... Read more »

A major spending bill that passed the House today contains a provision introduced by Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin to exempt urchins imported to or exported from the United States from mandatory inspections by federal wildlife officials, providing important relief for an industry of more than 650 Maine workers. Read more »

Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Rob Wittman (VA-01) are introducing bipartisan legislation today to protect the kind of waterfront access and infrastructure that many businesses—and thousands of jobs—depend on in Maine, Virginia, and in communities all over the country. “The importance of Maine’s coastline to our state’s economy can’t be understated. It’s not only the reason millions ... Read more »

Current process disadvantages several states, including Maine, that wish to export product to the European Union. Read more »

Tells Secretary of State, U.S. Trade Representative and head of NOAA that import ban isn't warranted Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin joined together today to ask three top Obama Administration officials to resist Swedish efforts to ban the import of live Maine lobsters into the European Union. In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry... Read more »

Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin will testify at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee tomorrow in support of a bill that would exempt sea urchins and sea cucumbers from federal inspection when they are imported to or exported from the United States. Sea urchins and sea cucumbers, harvested in the Gulf of Maine, have a shelf life of seven days and are regularly sold... Read more »

Yesterday, Reps. Bill Keating (MA-09) and Chellie Pingree (ME-01) engaged in a discussion with Rep. John Culberson (TX-07), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, on the House floor. They talked about the importance of addressing the challenges facing the Northeast multispecies fishery sector management program with respect to observer cover... Read more »