FILE - Lobsters sit in a crate at a shipping facility on Nov. 18, 2020, in Arundel, Maine. Fishers of Maine lobster, one of the lucrative seafood species in the U.S., hoped for a large haul in 2022, a year in which the industry battled surging fuel and bait prices, rebukes from key retailers and the looming possibility of new fishing restrictions. ROCKPORT, Maine — — Fishers of Maine lobster, one of the most lucrative seafood species in the U.S.
The industry has experienced growth in recent years, as fishermen have caught more than 96 million pounds of lobster per year for 13 years in a row after never previously reaching that mark. But it is also wrangling with threats such asto protect rare North Atlantic right whales, which are vulnerable to entanglement in gear.
The lobster fishing business has also lost some customers in the wake of sustainability organizations suspending their certifications of the industry over concerns about threats to whales. Retailers including Whole Foods said they wouldafter the groups, Maine Stewardship Council and Seafood Watch, pulled the certifications.