New lobster minimum catch sizes could lead to industry change [Video]

A potential change to the lobster industry would impact the allowable lobster catch size. Dozens of lobstermen who do not support the change spoke out at a Department of Marine Resources public hearing in Augusta on Thursday night.The public hearing discussed a proposal that would change the minimum allowable catch size for lobsters from 3 1/4 inches to 3 5/16 inches. A change of 1/16 of an inch may seem small, but to fishermen, it’s a big deal. “It’s our livelihoods you’re messing with,” lobsterman Wayne Delano said. Many who spoke at the meeting expressed fear of potential business impacts and financial losses.”The question here is not will lobstermen and processors go out of business because of this increase, but rather how many will be put out of business because of this increase?” said Dustin Delano, lobsterman and chief operating officer at the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association.The proposal was …