In lobster debate, Maine delegation moves to strip California aquarium of funding

Oct. 5—In an escalating war of words over the lobster industry's impact on right whale populations, Maine's congressional delegation on Wednesday moved to strip a California aquarium's federal funding.

The delegation's bill would prohibit federal funding from going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium after the aquarium's Seafood Watch project put lobster on its "red list" of fisheries that consumers should avoid because of a supposed threat to the North American right whale.

The listing came after federal regulators said they will move ahead with restrictions on Gulf of Maine lobstering because of risks posed by lobstering gear. However, the industry contends that there's virtually no danger. Only one whale has become entangled in gear in recent decades, lobstering advocates say, and there's no evidence any whale has ever died due to entanglement with Maine lobster gear.

The delegation said its move comes because Seafood Watch's listing was not based on scientific evidence of a risk to the whales.

"Institutions like the Monterey Bay Aquarium that claim to be scientific but openly flout available evidence and data should not receive taxpayer funds. It's that simple," Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, said in a statement.

Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Janet Mills said she supported the effort to strip federal funding.

"Monterey Bay is jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of Maine people and a cornerstone of Maine's economy with no good evidence," she said.

Mills said the inclusion of the lobster industry on the red list "completely ignored sound science and facts." And, she said, the organization "has proven that they are not worthy of federal funding (and) there must be consequences for their recklessness and their disregard for an industry that is at the heart of our state and our country."

In a statement of its own, Seafood Watch said it provides "science-based information to consumers and businesses so that they can make informed choices when purchasing seafood."

The listing prompted some restaurants and other businesses to pull lobster from their menus.

Seafood Watch said its ratings "reflect a management failure" because regulators allow fisheries to use gear that does not keep those industries in compliance with the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The project claimed the reaction of the delegation "distracts from the real issue: the urgent need for government to get those fisheries back in compliance."

What's more, Seafood Watch said, the delegation is aiming at the wrong target by confusing the Monterey Bay Aquarium with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Industry. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is not involved with Seafood Watch, the organization said.

Golden and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, introduced the legislation and said that Maine's other two member of Congress, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, would sign on to the measure.

King and Golden said that the aquarium has received nearly $197 million in federal funding since 2001.

The lawmakers said the inclusion of lobster on the "red list" endangers the industry in Maine. Members of the delegation have also pushed back against the National Marine Fisheries Service's proposed regulations which, they say, would also endanger the lobster industry in the state.