Discussion · House of Representatives
Jared F. Golden Democrat
“Maine lobster fishing has only killed one whale in the last eight years. Also, ropeless fishing gear is not ready to replace regular gear yet. Forcing lobstermen to use it now would shut down the fishery.”
“Mr. Speaker, just a few quick rebuttals. One of my colleagues talked about 30-plus right whale deaths attributed to fisheries in America. I don’t know where those numbers come from. All I can tell you is a simple fact, which is that in my 8 years in Congress, there has been one attributed death of a whale to the Maine lobster fishery. That is in 8 years, one, not 30-plus, a single one. In the 20 or 30 years preceding that, there were zero, so I am not quite sure where his numbers are coming from. In regard to ropeless gear, it has been said that a million pounds of lobster was caught with ropeless gear in the last 4 years. Well, we are talking about a fishery that lands over 70 million pounds per year. Do the math. That is over 300 million pounds of lobster provided to the American people. The fact of the matter is that ropeless fishing gear may be a viable alternative some day in the future, but it ain’t there yet. It is a long way from being there. A requirement to move to ropeless gear would represent one thing: Shutting down the fishery.”
Mr. Speaker, just a few quick rebuttals. One of my colleagues talked about 30-plus right whale deaths attributed to fisheries in America. I don’t know where those numbers come from. All I can tell you is a simple fact, which is that in my 8 years in Congress, there has been one attributed death of a whale to the Maine lobster fishery. That is in 8 years, one, not 30-plus, a single one. In the 20 or 30 years preceding that, there were zero, so I am not quite sure where his numbers are coming from. In regard to ropeless gear, it has been said that a million pounds of lobster was caught with ropeless gear in the last 4 years. Well, we are talking about a fishery that lands over 70 million pounds per year. Do the math. That is over 300 million pounds of lobster provided to the American people. The fact of the matter is that ropeless fishing gear may be a viable alternative some day in the future, but it ain’t there yet. It is a long way from being there. A requirement to move to ropeless gear would represent one thing: Shutting down the fishery.