WEST BATH

Local fishermen face numerous challenges, but at the end of the day, it’s a job to be celebrated.

That was the message sent by three Midcoast fishermen during a panel discussion on Sunday, as they shared their perspectives on the industry. The conversation was hosted by the Sagadahoc Democrats and facilitated by Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, who acted as moderator. Vitelli currently sits on the Legislature’s Marine Resources Committee, where she is well acquainted with many of the issues facing fishermen.

“What I’ve learned about those who engage in the fishing industry are that these are among the most dedicated, hardworking and passionate people that you’ll find anywhere,” she said. “I’ve also learned that the business they are in … is both physically and mentally challenging.”

Vitelli laid out the problems facing the fishing industry in three wide sections: Regulation, specialized knowledge that is hard to pass on, and somewhat unpredictable market forces.

The fishing industry is a highly regulated industry, noted Vitelli, where fishermen are expected to navigate regulations at the federal, state and local levels.

“I’ve told a couple bankers lately that if they think they’re businesses are tightly regulated, they ought to try going into the fishing industry,” said Vitelli.

Dan Harrington, a wormer and clammer from Woolwich, said that the licensing situation at the municipal level can be a major impediment to his work.

“Because of the situation with municipal licenses and the availability of licenses for non-residents, I bounced back and forth between worming and clamming most of my whole career,” he said, “because if you’re not a resident of the town a lot of times you don’t wind up keeping both licenses.”

There is a lot of fluctuation already built into the industry, Harrington said, as fishermen alternate between which fisheries are the most lucrative and which areas of the state are producing more.

“But being able to diversify is getting more and more difficult over the years,” he said, noting that when he started out in the worming industry there weren’t the town ordinances there are now.

Now town ordinances regulating activities like clamming or worming are ubiquitous up and down the coast.

“It made it far more difficult to get into that industry, and then when you do get into that industry you can get a license in one town,” said Harrington.

Regional management might work better than municipal regulations, he said, especially in the clamming industry.

Environmental regulations, while necessary, can have a drastic effect on his livelihood. For example, Harrington recalled a time when an area in Woolwich was closed to clamming for a period of three years.

“We went from being able to be full-time clam diggers one day to completely out of business the next three years,” he said.

International market

While much of the fishermen’s attention is focused on local regulations, they are simultaneously competing on a national stage where they have to interact with federal regulations and international trade agreements in order to sell their catch.

Harrington said that just last year his family paid out $100,000 in fees to the federal government just to ship blood worms to Europe. Fees and permitting are a big cost of doing business, one he sometimes has to pay twice if an order is canceled or something goes wrong.

According to lobsterman Lawrence Pye, tariffs on the export of lobster are another major factor to contend with, especially since a trade deal between Canada and the European Union makes Canadian lobster a cheaper option for European consumers.

International arrangements play a huge role in the price of lobster. According to Pye, South Korea shifted to Canadian lobster last year, putting additional pressures on the Maine market.

“It’s a very big deal for us,” said Pye.

Further problems arise when Maine fishermen are regulated because of actions being taken by other countries. Pye stated that although most right whale tangle-ups are caused by Canadian fishing equipment, Maine lobstermen are being regulated as if they’re the problem.

“We sometimes, maybe, are unfairly targeted with those regulations and those schemes,” said Pye.

Looking forward

Oftentimes, the focus on the future of the fisheries is too narrowly construed to mean warming waters, ocean acidification, and factors like red tide and green crabs. While those are major factors, they’re not the only problems fishermen face on a daily basis.

Yet, even with these concerns, Pye was positive about the future of lobstering in the state.

“I think for the future, lobster is very stable. We’re coming off record landings in the state of Maine,” said Pye, though he noted that warming waters and other environmental issues do raise some concerns.

There are bright spots, too. Aquaculture projects have, in some instances, provided a more stable source of work and revenue, said the panel. Some projects launched in under-producing areas have helped create resources where previously there was little to nothing.

An area where the state can help out is more research, said Harrington. While Maine has done well investing in lobster research, the worming industry is largely overlooked.

4 a.m. wake-up

“(My favorite part of the job is) getting up at 4 a.m. and going out on the flats,” said Ray Tremblay, who grew up clamming, drawing laughs from the audience.

But the freedom of being largely self employed, the panelists said, is one of the bigger perks of the job.

“You don’t have that traditional 9-5,” said Pye. “It allows you opportunities in life that you might not otherwise have … there’s a freedom that comes with it.”

The panelists also praised the camaraderie among their fellow fishermen.

“We’re almost like a family,” said Tremblay.

Harrington left the room with one last thought: Get to know your fishermen. Don’t be afraid to allow diggers access to the coastline where they make their living.

“The majority of us are just hardworking people,” said Harrington. “We want to just access the resources, make a living on it, come home, spend the time with our families, be able to go to ball games with our kids.”

Additionally, Pye encouraged Mainers to seek out and support local dealers and suppliers.

“Any time your seafood is sourced locally, it supports the fleet and the harvesters that are behind it,” said Pye.

nstrout@timesrecord.com