Maine's congressional delegation is using the $1.7 trillion federal spending bill to try to delay for six years new protections for endangered whales to protect Maine's lobster industry.
As of this week, Seafood Watch announced that it has classified American lobster, including Maine lobster, as a seafood to avoid. "The fact is — there has never been a right whale death attributed to Maine lobster gear," said the statement from Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, and Gov. Janet Mills. Without the delay, they said,"Maine's iconic industry could be facing a complete shutdown."
"Sneaking this move into a spending bill is a profound and disturbing end run around the legal system," Erica Fuller, CLF senior attorney, said Tuesday in a statement.