WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2021 – The Maine Lobstering Union (MLU) today filed a brief with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to end the misguided closure of productive lobstering waters off the coast of Maine.
The MLU previously won injunctive relief from the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine to stop the closure on Oct. 16. A federal appeals court overturned the decision on Nov. 16, closing off about 967 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean to lobster fishing for a third of the year.
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“Generations of Mainers have taken pride in sustainably cultivating the world’s best lobster while simultaneously protecting the Right Whales,” said Virginia Olsen of the Maine Lobstering Union. “The decision to close Maine’s waters to this time-honored industry is unfortunately based on misguided and incomplete science. The Maine Lobstering Union looks forward to continuing to fight to save this great American industry and defend the families and communities who rely on it.”
The Maine Lobstering Union (MLU) is a division of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) District 4 and the only union-based cooperative in the lobster industry owned and operated by Maine lobstermen. The MLU supports Maine’s lobster community and is committed to the sustainability and safety of Maine’s lobstermen and women and all wildlife that occupy and rely upon the fishery.