Q: What is "groundfish?"

A: The term 'groundfish' refers to 19 different stocks of fish.  Some are familiar, such as cod or haddock.  Others are less well known, such as hake or windowpane flounder.  Groundfish tend to cohabitate on the ocean floor, and groundfishing vessels harvest several of the 19 stocks at once.

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Q: What is the "Groundfish Task Force?"

A: The Task Force was assembled in 2003 to study Maine's eroding position in New England's groundfishery, and recommend solutions.

In 2004, the Task Force made 30 recommendations to stem the loss of Maine fishing vessels to Massachusetts.  A recurring theme in the report was the need to 'level the playing field' with other states:

"Boats are leaving Maine to fish from and land their catch in Massachusetts on a regular basis.  The Maine industry cannot compete against states that aggressively support their fishing industry."

The Task Force specifically discussed  the problems created by Maine's bycatch lobster law, and recommended the State develop some mitigating measures.  Read the Task Force Report

Of the 30 recommendations, one has been implemented: Current use taxation for working waterfront property. 

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Q: Aren't groundfish populations dwindling?

A: No.  This is a common media myth.  Because of strict conservation regulations, groundfish populations have been climbing for over a decade, and are expected to continue climbing for the next two decades.

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Q: How important is the revenue from bycatch lobster to groundfish vessels?

A: It can be very significant.  The amount of lobster harvested is very small, but because lobsters are so valuable - often more than $5 per pound - the revenue can be several thousand dollars per fishing trip.  In today's age of high fuel prices and tight fishing restrictions, this can have a major effect on a crewmember's pay.  See "How Are Groundfish Crewmembers Paid" below for more information.

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Q: How are groundfish crewmembers paid?

A: Fishermen are paid differently than most other jobs.  New England groundfish crewmembers are paid on a "share" basis.  That means there is no guaranteed hourly wage or salary at all.  The crew's pay depends entirely on how much fish they catch.  If they catch a good amount of fish, they will receive a good paycheck for that trip.  If they catch little fish, they might not receive any paycheck at all.

Other factors will affect a crew's pay.  For example, low fish prices will reduce pay, as will high fuel costs (fuel, as a cost of production, must be paid before the crew is). 

Most groundfish vessel owners purposely give most or all of the revenue from bycatch lobsters to the crew, retaining none for the vessel, in order to provide extra pay for their crewmembers.  Because of Maine's prohibition on bycatch lobster landings, Maine vessel owners are unable to provide this benefit to their crews.

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Q: Are groundfish prices higher in Massachusetts than in Maine?

A: No.  Most of the time, Maine's prices are slightly higher. 

There are three display groundfish auctions in New England.  One is in Maine - the Portland Fish Exchange - and two are in Massachusetts - in Gloucester and New Bedford.  Combined, the three auctions handle around 40% of the New England groundfish fleet's harvest - about 20 different species and sizes of fish.  In 2005, Portland Fish Exchange  prices beat those of the Massachusetts auctions about two-thirds of the time.

Federal market statistics also show Maine prices edge Massachusetts'.  More

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Q: Tell me more about bottom trawling.

A: Bottom trawling is a federally monitored and approved method of harvesting seafood.  Approximately 80% of New England's groundfish is harvested with bottom trawls. 

Harvesting methods used by federally approved vessels operating in federal waters are not particularly relevant to a discussion of state lobster landings law.  However, the following information may be informative.

Bottom trawling has been used as a method of harvesting fish in New England for a century. New England groundfish trawlers rarely exceed 100’ in length. Most are 50’ or less. There are no “factory trawlers” in the fleet.

In 2002, the National Research Council published a report of the effect of bottom trawling on the marine seafloor. It recommended habitat studies, fishing gear modifications, effort reductions, and establishment of marine protected areas. All of those recommendations have been incorporated into New England’s fishery management plans. For example, 9,000 square miles of waters off the New England coast – an area larger than the state of Massachusetts – are permanently closed to trawling.  Read the National Research Council report

Because of strong, effective fishery management policies including limits on trawling, populations of New England groundfish have tripled over the last decade. There is no scientific evidence that trawling has any effect at all on lobster populations.

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Q: Can groundfish vessels keep lobsters while fishing on "B" DAS trips?

A: No.  The federal goverment allows no possession of lobsters on B-DAS.

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Q: Do groundfish vessels save an entire fishing day by landing in Massachusetts?

A: No.  In 2003, the federal government analyzed the value of saved "steaming time" for Maine vs. Massachusetts ports.  It found that vessels fishing close to shore could save a significant amount of time by working from Massachusetts ports, but for the fleet fishing on Georges Bank - which represents the majority of vessels which have departed Maine - the savings were on the order of just 3%.  Read the analysis 

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Q: What's the average catch of lobsters for a groundfish trawler?

A: From January 2004 through September 2006, federal fishery observers recorded the catch of over 22,000 individual offshore trawl net hauls.  They found that trawlers caught lobsters on 75% of those hauls, and the average catch was 54 pounds.

If the trawlers averaged four hauls per day (offshore trawlers conduct operations round the clock), and the average size of the lobsters caught was 2½ pounds, this would come out to an average catch of 86 lobsters per day - compared to the federal cap of 100 per day.

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