Supporting Maine Lobstermen

"Working waterfronts are an integral part of the nation's coastal and Great Lakes economy and culture. Working waterfronts face multiple challenges, including permanent conversion to non-water-dependent uses and storm damage to already compromised waterfront infrastructure. Businesses that depend on working waterfront, from commercial fishermen to tour boat operators to waterborne trade,… Read more »

Maine Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin have introduced a resolution in the House to recognize today, September 25, 2017, as National Lobster Day. The resolution is a companion to one passed in the Senate after being introduced by Senators Susan Collins and Angus King. Read more »

  Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin have reintroduced their bill to make it easier for seafood dealers to export sea urchins and sea cucumbers outside of the United States. This bill puts an end to repetitive, mandatory inspections of urchins and sea cucumbers being exported from the country, which are causing the highly perishable product to be held in warehouses… Read more »

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… 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… 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… 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… 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… Read more »

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