ROCKPORT — U.S. Senator Susan Collins attended the Maine Fishermen’s Forum Reception and Dinner at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, March 1, and spoke with fishermen, leadership from the Maine Lobstermen’s Association and the NE Fishery Management Council, and commercial stakeholders about Maine’s lobster and fishing industry.

“The fishing industry has supported the livelihoods of generations of fishermen, processors, and dealers in coastal Maine communities,” said Senator Collins, in a news release. “I was delighted to speak with so many hardworking individuals at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum that are dedicated to promoting and maintaining a healthy fishing industry engaged in stewardship and self-regulation.”

Senator Collins has been a vocal advocate for the lobster and fishing industry and has been working with the Maine Delegation to remove the unfair and harmful tariff on U.S. lobster exports to China. 

Last week, Senators Collins and Angus King (I-ME) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME) wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, calling on him to make the lobster industry a priority in the ongoing trade negotiations with the Chinese government.

In June 2018, the Maine Delegation hosted a meeting between Deputy United States Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney and members of the Maine Lobster Dealers’ Association to discuss the impact of federal trade policies on the state’s lobster industry.

The Maine Fishermen’s Forum is an annual three-day event that hosts fishermen, gear suppliers, scientists, government officials, and other stakeholders to collaborate on all things fishing: markets, resource status, regulations, the latest in technology, the environment, and more.  Each year, the Forum provides free seminars for fishermen covering a wide range of topics such as the health of the lobster resource, commercial fishing safety, and upcoming regulatory actions.