The legislature in the U.S. state of Maine approved a bill on 9 April to continue funding for the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative.
The collaborative, which promotes the Maine lobster brand in the media and restaurant business, is funded via fees paid by members of the state’s lobster industry. The bill, which is now law, extends the fee structure through 2021.
“We are incredibly pleased with Maine’s decision to continue forward with the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative,” MLMC Executive Director Matt Jacobson said. ‘We’re very proud of the work we’ve done over the past few years to position Maine Lobster as a true icon – one that consumers, media and chefs feel passionate about.”
The collaborative has a USD 2.2 million (EUR 1.84 million) budget, largely sourced through lobster license surcharges. That budget goes towards promoting the Maine lobster – which is the North American Lobster – as a brand.
The MLMC has come under some criticism in the past from members of the industry, who said the fees paid toward the collaborative budget aren’t seen as getting any return. Despite that criticism, Maine’s Lobster Advisory Council and its seven lobster zone councils all approved continuing the funding.
“We are looking forward to continuing our efforts to drive awareness of Maine Lobster, and telling the story of the people within the industry who bring it from trap to table,” Jacobson said. “Thank you to the fishermen, dealers, processors, and state officials who have supported our efforts.”
Maine is the largest lobster producing state in the U.S., harvesting more than 45,000 metric tons per year for the past seven years. The dockside value of the fishery was USD 533 million (EUR 432 million) in 2016.
