Patrice McCarron, executive director of the MLA, said many lobstermen were particularly worried about what would happen to the reputation of Maine lobsters if dragged product entered the Maine marketplace.  "We worked hard to create the market for our lobster," she said.  "This would undermine our Maine brand, our market, our price, and our conservation.  We think this is a very narrow, short-term, naive proposal."

MLA representatives also remain unconvinced that a change in the law would keep Maine groundfish vessels in Maine.  "What contract are people going to sign to say, "OK, if we put this in, you won't go to Gloucester," said McCarron.  "There are still incentives for vessels to go to Gloucester.  I don't see this solving things."

McCarron said she wished the situation had never come to this.  "The MLA has always wanted to support the groundfish industry, and we want to find ways to help the groundfish industry," she said.  But the MLA's bottom line is that it cannot endorse legislation that it believes will undo the lobster industry's successful conservation efforts.  "Maine should not support a practice that harms our resource," she said.  "if the groundfish industry is at a point where they feel they have to fundamentally dismantle the way we handle lobsters, then this is a problem.  We need to turn this into something positive."

When asked about LD 170 and his opinion of allowing Maine groundfish vessels to land offshore-caught lobsters, lobsterman and MLA Board member Pat White was clear on one point.  "I think its an inappropriate way to harvest lobsters," he said.  But above all White, who has been moderating discussions on several fronts in an effort to better unite Maine fishermen, said he was "saddened" by the legislative initiative and was "very sorry" it had to happen at all.  "I think this is a very divisive issue and there are a lot of people who are going to come out of it hurt," he said.  "This is a time when those of us who are left in the fishing community should be working together and trying to stand together.  This is going to leave a sour taste, and I think that's very unfortunate."