Maine legislature 5/26/11 Listen to lobstermen fend off bill to open Maine lobster marketing to Wall Street.

Legislators in Augusta held a public hearing 5/26/11 on LD 1579 An Act To Amend the Lobster Promotion Council  The bill, introduced by the Governor with less than 24 hours warning, on the last day the Marine Resources Committee meets for the year, met with confusion from the legislators and wrath from the fishermen whose associations' leaders had been up all night frantically studying the hefty new bill. Big industry had tried to sneak this bill in quietly. They failed.

The lobstermen convinced the committee to hold the bill over to 2012 before any more hearings, to give the people time to organize.

LISTEN TO MP3s OF  HEARING  & WS       

SUPPORTERS

1. First twenty minutes - testimony by DMR Commissioner Norman Olsen - was not recorded

2. Patrice Farrell, Maine Lobstermens Association  9 minutes Supports with major amendments

    Patrice Farrell Maine Lobstermen's Assoc: Q&A 11minutes

3. Elliot Thomas Yarmouth lobsterman  6 minutes

4. John Hathaway Chucks Maine Lobster processor 7minutes

OPPONENTS

1 Sheila Dassatt, Downeast Lobstermen's Association 8 minutes

   Sheila Dassatt DELA, Q&A 5 minutes

2. Larry Knapp Boothbay lobsterman 9 minutes

3. Clive Farrin, Downeast Lobstermen's Association & Q&A  22 minutes

3.Kathleen Billings-Pezaris, Stonington ME town mgr 5minutes

4. Emily Lane, Chair Lobster Promotional  Council 12 minutes

5. Dick Grotton Maine Restaurants Association to End of public hearing on LD  12 minutes

WORK SESSION & VOTE TO HOLD OVER TO 2012 SESSION   22 MINUTES