Lobstermen air concerns to GOP congressional candidate Theriault
August 29, 2024
- By William TracyWilliam Tracy
- 22 hrs ago
Waterfront
PROSPECT HARBOR — Measuring limits and government oversight were some of the concerns brought up during State Rep. Austin Theriault’s (R-Fort Kent) roundtable discussion with lobster fishermen in Prospect Harbor last week.
Theriault, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is challenging incumbent Democrat Jared Golden for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. The talk gave fishermen a chance to directly express industry concerns to Theriault as well as learn more about his political platform. The candidate visited Ellsworth businesses earlier in the day.
“Don’t let this collared shirt fool you — the Theriaults have been working in the woods for five generations,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of differences between the lobster industry and ours, but one thing we have in common is that it’s more challenging than ever to be a part of them. We deal with a lot of the bureaucracy you deal with, so I have a soft spot for the struggles you guys face.”
Theriault, 30, highlighted the lack of young workers from his generation and beyond willing to overcome these challenges and bureaucratic hurdles.
“At this rate, there’s not going to be anybody from the next generation that’s going to step up and take these businesses over from their family,” Theriault said. “They don’t want to deal with the headache, and there’s just not as much money in it anymore for them to want to do that.”
“I want to make sure this industry is protected,” he continued. “I know a lot of people come to town and say the same thing, yet nothing happens. I want to show that I’m here today to listen to you, because no one is a bigger expert.”
Theriault highlighted what he said is a disconnect between state government in Augusta to frontline workers of outdoor-based professions.
“A lot of these professions are misunderstood and neglected by the wheels of government,” Theriault said. “They’ve never set foot on a boat or been in the woods. They just go off what a book says and think they are doing the right thing. We need to get our message to the right people and let them know that’s not the way we should be conducting our government. We need them to have our back, not the other way around.”
One attendee proposed a board of sitting fishermen and industry leaders rather than a single commissioner for making regulatory decisions.
“Why not have a board and not an appointed commissioner who doesn’t have background in these industries?” he asked. “So, we have people who know what everything is about actually running things.”
“That’s too good of an idea,” another quipped.
Much discussion centered around the new lobster measuring requirements. In an effort to combat diminishing annual hauls (which fell from a high of 132.6 million pounds in 2016 to 93.7 million last year) and the expected continued migration of lobsters north away from warm waters due to climate change, fishing regulators are instituting a new rule that will increase the minimum size of gauges fisherman use to measure lobsters to 3 5/16 inches or 8.4 centimeters. This will further restrict hauls and cut back on profits, those in attendance said.
“This measuring increase has a good chance of putting me out of the job as a stern man,” one attendee said.
Theriault expressed his plans to cut back on government oversight as well as keeping the struggles of these industry workers at the forefront of government concern.
Other critical issues frequently brought up are the encroaching regulations and allocation of offshore windmills and whale conservation routes. Recently, the Biden Administration called for increased measures concerning wind-powered energy throughout the U.S., the Maine coastline being no exception. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management allocated a designated offshore wind leasing area for the state, which was soon amended in light of criticism to prevent obstruction of Maine’s most valuable offshore waters. Still, the issue remains a looming concern for industry workers who fear further encroachment.
“I don’t know whose genius idea it was to put an electric windmill right in the middle of the ocean surrounded by salt water,” an attendee said. “They can’t even keep them running in the woods, so I don’t know how they plan for them to work there.”
Strict new regulations concerning the conservation of the endangered North American right whale control where lobstermen can fish and what gear they use.
“They want to put trackers in our boats like we’re criminals,” another attendee said.
According to his campaign’s official website, Theriault is committed to “making Maine’s 2nd Congressional District a better place for working-class Mainers to live.” He said his platform champions rural conservative values and advocates for limited government intervention.
“These are complex problems; we need to get these issues discussed and not just kick the can down the road for later,” Theriault said. “Because later on these issues are going to come up again. We need to make sure we are on top of it.”
Comprising nearly 80% of the state’s total land area, Maine’s 2nd Congressional District encompasses most of the land north of Portland. It is the second-most rural district in the U.S.
