Donald McMahon Sr. works to repair the engine of his son's lobster boat, one of two sunk by vandals in the early morning hours of Aug. 5 in Owls Head, Maine. A third boat was also damaged in the incident.Posted on 08/16/2009 10:15:35 PM PDT by BGHater
Maine lobstermen are cutting competitors' trap lines, sinking boats and, in one case, shooting each other.
Law-enforcement officials and people in Maine's tight-knit coastal communities say economic pressure on the state's 5,000 active lobstermen may be fueling the tension. With prices for the state's crustaceans at the lowest level since the early 1990s, lobstermen are having trouble covering bait, fuel and equipment costs, they say.
Lobsterman Keith Simmonds, of Owls Head, Maine, suspects rivals sank his boat, First Light, on Aug. 5. In the hours after midnight, vandals slashed the boat's pipes and flooded it with salt water, damaging its motor, starter, pump, batteries and wiring. By the time a fellow lobsterman called Mr. Simmonds to the dock, the boat was under seven feet of water, its roof barely peeking out.
Two boats moored near Mr. Simmonds's boat were also vandalized at the same time, though they didn't suffer as much damage. Authorities say they are still investigating the incident.
In late July, one lobsterman shot another in the neck in an argument over where the underwater traps could be placed around Matinicus Island, 20 miles off the coast. Authorities say the victim, Chris Young, had argued with the shooter, Vance Bunker, over Mr. Bunker's son-in-law fishing in the island's waters. Since the son-in-law was not from Matinicus, Mr. Young didn't think he had the right to set his traps there. After the shooting, Mr. Bunker was arrested on charges of aggravated assault.
Donald McMahon Sr. works to repair the engine of his son's lobster boat, one of two sunk by vandals in the early morning hours of Aug. 5 in Owls Head, Maine. A third boat was also damaged in the incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Maine is a blue state.
They should raise big fat taxes on lobster boats.
That’ll fix the problem. :)
Keep voting for Dems and RINOs.
The state voted for Obama - they are getting Hope & Change - enjoy it.
Umm isn’t the solution to this problem to not trap as much so demand will increase? Why are these people falling all over themselves to catch even more lobsters?
‘Why are these people falling all over themselves to catch even more lobsters?’
Dunno, I’m not from up there. But, sounds like it’s the only thing they know. It’s just a symptom of the economy as a whole.
It’s the right time to buy Maine lobsters now!!!
Will the libs call Barry to appoint a czar, the Rock Lobsta Mobsta?
I used to like lobster until I read an article where they were called “cockroaches of the sea”. Now I can’t bring myself to even look at the things.
Maine, huh? Oh yeah, I remember....
Others:
Pigeons, rats with wings.
Squirrels, rats with bushy tails.
To each his own.
I can't read the rest of the article because one has to subscribe. Otherwise, I can't determine if prices are low because of an oversupply of lobsters or an under supply of customers ordering lobsters at restaurants because of the price. If it's an oversupply of lobsters, that will eventually level out. If it's an under supply of customers because of the bad economy, tough luck. Quit voting for the friggin Democrats.
I bought mine on Wednesday night. My wife and I went to McCormick & Schmicks and had lobster dinners. Mine was a 1 lb Maine lobster for $22.50. It was nice.
Hey, Mainiacs, how’s that hopey change thing working out for you?
I know, I know...
It’s just the mental association. Realistically, crabs are nothing but aquatic spiders, but that doesn’t seem to bother me as much.
I just have a mental horror of roaches...
Could it be a genetic thing whether or not lobster tastes good to a person. Maybe the number of lobster lovers in America is dwindling. I greatly prefer almost any fish to lobster. The same goes for shrimp, crab, and clams. Why these are considered deluxe items is beyond my sensory ken. (I grok oysters, though.)
Alternate Headline: Lobster Trade Feeling Pinch of Recession
Eat steak, problem solved.
These days, the only areas I have mercy on are the Red Counties.
The Blue Counties (especially the cities) can all rot in their "Hope and Change."
LOL
China is also becoming a source of competition.
Amen to that.
Crawling little filth suckers.
I ate a bit of one *once* and could only think “*This* is it?”.
I do feel sorry for the ones I see in grocery store tanks.
They don’t feed them.
Steak is better with lobster. Just my opinion.
Nowadays, with plastic traps, radar, GPS, and seasickness patches, any Masshole who can follow 95 North heads up here and starts lobstering. If you are not from Matinicus, well don't set out your traps there. Go set'em off Chappaquiddick.
Those seasickness patches contain scopolamine and that can drive people crazy. Especially if the Masshole in question been drinking, which they do. Lobstering and violence, btw, have always gone together. Just a question of time until some nosy reporterette from away discovered it.
Dirty little secret: Lobster populations are way up, and the creatures are making big comebacks all the way down past New York. Catching plenty off New Jersey. And if those people can catch anything, it's time for real people to get out of the business.
Maybe this Obama can put a Lobster Contraceptive Czar on the case?
Heathen. Lobster with drawn butter is great. Forget the cockroach reference. Not even close.
Damn, sounds a lot like the fishermen of San Francisco bay of several years ago only those guys were Italian. (lost touch so don’t know if SF is still like that on the waterfront)
I can only assume your taste buds are out of whack.
Why haven’t taxes made this state revive? More taxes, more revival, that’s how govt fixes things...
Why is catfish so yummy and lobsters on a par with tofu. Both are bottom feeders.
I just want to know where I can get the little guys
at steak prices!
Gimme a lobster at $10/lb, at my doorstep, and I’ll
do better than marry you!
I shall remain a seafood heathen.
Some things are just too ugly to eat.
Sorry.
I just found it boring.
Gimme filet mignon wrapped in bacon any day.
Maybe you should cornmeal batter the lobster and fry it....:)
I’m not sure you wanted to put it exactly that way.
“Damn, sounds a lot like the fishermen of San Francisco bay of several years ago only those guys were Italian. (lost touch so don’t know if SF is still like that on the waterfront)”
If it’s the waterfront, the Italians are still in charge. Think longshoremen, unions, mafia ... etc.
That sounds a little twisted not to mention I'm already taken. As to the price of lobster I don't eat it on a regular basis so I don't always sweat the price.
Perhaps you were sampling it at an unfortunate establishment, such as the Red Lobster?
I want to say something about that but I would be stepping on a land mine. However a steamed lobster always looks tasty to me.
I buy them and cook them myself. Twenty minutes in boiling water. You know they are done when you can pluck one of the feelers from the head with a pair of tongs. Good eating.
“Some things are just too ugly to eat.”
So, I take it you’ve never had boiled crayfish, or crab?
Some things are so ugly that they taste divine.
The real answer is to become a vegetarian and eat tofu and chant OM. Then the whole world will be at peace.
“The real answer is to become a vegetarian and eat tofu and chant OM. Then the whole world will be at peace.”
Damn! I knew that was the answer.
Death is a better option.
They seem to have no notion of how markets work.
I like escargo with seasoned garlic butter. Looks bad but tastes good. I'm not kidding.
Haven’t cooked them myself for years, but never heard of your feelers method, only of going by the complete color change. But overcooking, as well as using frozen meat, could explain the Freepers who don’t appreciate it.
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