Downeast Maine Lobster Fisherman Rallies The Troops In Viral Video

Downeast Maine Lobster Fisherman Rallies The Troops In Viral Video

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There are over 4,500 commercial lobster fishermen in Maine, each has about 800 or so traps scattered off the coast, and some are very concerned.

Obviously common ground must be found, as a small population of endangered North Atlantic Right Whales on earth battle for survival, and Maine's lobster fishermen do the same.

In the video posted on Missy Leland's Facebook account, fisherman David Leland, who is never shown, talks about an April 28th rally to protect the lobster industry in the Gulf of Maine that is being publicized by the Maine Lobstermen's Association.

To begin with, 41 year-old Leland tells us that he has been "losing a lot of sleep about all these topics, and I don't know what to do."  He also explains that he has "never posted online my comments, never commented on anyone else's comments."

Leland tells us what today's Maine lobster fishermen are up against when it comes to protecting Right whales and the cost to do so, as he mentions specifically, "putting 25 more purple marks on our buoys", and that "we can't put more traps on our vertical lines with 1700 lbs. breakaways. We know this will not work."

According to NOAA Fisheries, the North Atlantic Right Whale is one of the world's most endangered species and there's only about 400 of them left. Sadly, the biggest threats to a Right Whale is being hit by a ship and becoming entangled in fishing line.  Just this week, marine authorities in Massachusetts ordered transport ships to slow down in a zone east of Boston where Right whales have been seen.
Right whales are also periodically seen in Maine waters, as this one was taped breaching the waters just outside of Blue Hill Bay last August.
Leland admits in the video that "ship strikes are the cause of whale deaths", but when it comes to fishing for lobster in waters off the coast of Maine, "If we don't reason and get together now, it's going to be over."
We truly hope that an eventual solution is found that will preserve both the whales and the Maine lobster fishing industry, and that things go well that Wednesday in Augusta for all concerned.
"Please make this post shareable, go viral, I don't even know how to do that", David Leland said at the end of the video.

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