Mainers are up in arms over Seafood Watch, a woke environmental program that is warning diners about lobsters, claiming the fish pots could harm or kill endangered right whales.
California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium, which runs the program, issued its latest edict on what to eat on Tuesday, ruling that American lobster should be avoided because the lines of the traps used to catch them can cope with the dwindling population of right whales and could cause injury or death.
“Seafood Watch recommends AVOIDING American lobster caught with traps from southern New England stocks due to population declines, risks to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, and inadequate efforts to mitigate those risks,” the June 6 report said. September.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are only 350 right whales left and fewer than 100 breeding females of this species.
Seafood Watch on Tuesday issued its latest guidance on what to eat, ruling that American lobster should be avoided because the lines of the traps used to catch it could entangle the dwindling right whale population
According to a 2017 Colby College study, the lobster industry contributes about $1 billion to Maine’s economy and supports more than 5,500 workers
In 2016, 130 million pounds of the crustacean were harvested for an estimated retail value of more than $547 million
Since 2017, NOAA Fisheries has reported 9 fatalities and 20 serious injuries due to entanglement. Most whale deaths over the past five years have been due to unknown causes or ship attacks.
Seafood Watch, which has been assessing the sustainability of seafood for six years, aims to prevent overfishing, extinction and other negative impacts on the oceans. They tend to recommend guests eat farmed seafood and avoid wild-caught fish.
The naming drew immediate backlash from Maine officials and industry groups.
“Today’s decision by Seafood Watch to ‘Red List’ Maine lobster is simply absurd and defies common sense.
Maine’s lobster industry — one of our state’s most important economic drivers and a source of pride — has a long-standing commitment to environmentally responsible, sustainable fishing,” Independent Maine State Senator Angus King said Tuesday.
“Make no mistake, this decision will have real-world ramifications — with the industry already facing challenges, the naming allegations will hurt thousands of families and businesses across our state. I hope that the millions of people around the world who enjoy delicious shellfish will see through this farce, continue to support the cult industry, and join me in urging Seafood Watch to reverse this irresponsible decision and remove lobster from its so-called “Red List.” . “‘
In July, a Washington, DC judge ruled that federal agencies had not done enough to help the endangered mammal, saying that “the greatest man-made threat comes from entanglement in fishing gear.”
But the Maine Lobster Industry hit back, saying the judge and Seafood Watch have not been in touch with the updates they made on lobster catching.
“The assessment uses old data, does not take into account the many steps that lobster fishermen have taken to protect whales, and misrepresents some basic facts,” the group said in its response to the naming.
“80% of the lines recovered from right whales between 2010 and 2018 do not match the lines most commonly used in the Maine lobster fishery (more than 1/2 inch line recovered from right whales, the fishery uses less than 1 /2 inches),” the group said.
The lobster industry says it’s also phasing out floating ropes that could tangle the Leviathans and implementing breakaway lines, dubbed “weak links,” that will further prevent injuries.
New England filmmaker Jason Mann pointed out that the shipping industry poses a far greater risk to the whales.
“Until they start blacklisting the cargo ships and tankers that actually hit whales, it seems like bullshit to me,” he tweeted.
Fisherman Steve Train also called on the aquarium’s program to fact-check.
“Lobster is one of the best managed and most sustainable fisheries in the country,” he said on Twitter. “There has NEVER been a right whale death attributed to the Maine lobster fishery. This is an overreaction and publicity move by an NGO that could hurt harvesters and do nothing for whales!’
According to WMTW News, Whole Foods and Red Lobster use the “red list” when deciding which seafood to sell.
“There are certainly industrial buyers for restaurants and retail that follow these lists and I don’t think they understand that we’re being mislabeled,” Train told the station. “We are sustainable.”
According to a 2017 Colby College study, the lobster industry contributes about $1 billion to Maine’s economy and supports more than 5,500 workers.
In 2016, 130 million pounds of the crustacean were harvested for an estimated retail value of more than $547 million.
“It’s not well researched,” Fred Terry, co-owner of The Lobster Roll in Southampton, NY. “There isn’t a lobster trap in Maine that a right whale couldn’t breach and traverse.”
