Leaders in Maine’s lobster industry come from a variety of backgrounds but have a common vision. Despite challenges facing the industry today, they see a strong, enduring product, sustained by a conservation-minded industry and loved by consumers. And they work on many different tacks to keep it that way.
Patrice McCarron joined the Maine Lobstermen’s Association in 2000, became executive director in 2001, and is founder and president of the newly formed Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance, a nonprofit sister organization.
McCarron formerly served as executive director to the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation, worked on fisheries issues for the New England Aquarium and was director of the Marine Environmental Research Institute’s Resource Center.
Growing up in a Massachusetts suburb, her family had a house in York Beach—the root of her love of all things maritime. As a University of Vermont graduate student, she wanted to get back to Maine and do marine work: “At the time, the lobster zone process was being born, so I used that as a point of research.”
Today, she said, the industry is struggling—but strong.
“We have record landings and poor profitability, and that is felt by all,” she said. “But the lobster industry is very stable and very grounded. These guys love what they do, they go to work very day, they care about it deeply.”
MLA handles advocacy, and MLCA research and education. McCarron travels throughout coastal Maine and is the industry liaison for state and federal policy issues.
“You have to be engaged on these issues in many ways,” she said.
Among its initiatives, MLCA this summer will continue herring acoustic survey work, performed with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and, with the New England Aquarium, will examine potential gear modifications for vertical lines. The project follows on an aquarium study that found whales best discern the color red. The industry will test red rope to see if it reduces risk of entanglement.
The MLCA also seeks to fund a leadership institute.
“There’s a generation of leaders in the industry for probably more than 20 years now, and we need to get the next generation involved in some of this work,” she said. “We’re working to develop an experiential program” for younger fishermen, who will visit processors, legislative meetings and other operational and management aspects of the industry.
Sheila Dassatt became secretary/treasurer of the Downeast Lobstermen’s Association in 2004, and executive director in 2006. She is also secretary on the Maine Fishermen’s Forum’s executive board.
Dassatt and her husband Mike, also a DELA office holder, fish out of Belfast. Her fishing/boatbuilding family goes back at least five generations on Stonington/Deer Isle, and her family was in the thick lobsterboat racing for many years. Today, the Dassatts have three grandchildren interested in lobster fishing.
“This is what we try to do—work with the next generation,” she said.
DELA was established in 1991 to represent fishermen in Washington and Hancock counties, in what was “really the forgotten Maine,” she said. Membership now includes the entire coast.
“We’ve always supported the association’s passion for maintaining tradition,” she said. “I think a lot of it has to do with maintaining independence for self-employed families.”
Key to DELA’s mission, she said, is its nonprofit status.
“When we say we’re by the fishermen and for the fishermen, we really do support ourselves,” she said. “One thing we’re trying to do is to get younger fishermen involved. We’re aware it’s an industry that’s not getting any younger.”
Today, Dassatt said, promotion, marketing and improved prices are timely topics. Her rounds includes legislative hearings and meetings of various management and advisory bodies, including the Department of Marine Resource’s research, educational and development board, which she chairs, the Lobster Advisory Council, and the Lobster Institute. DELA has been active in various research initiatives, including environmental monitoring and bait reduction; supports the concept of product traceability; and works to mitigate long waiting lists for lobster industry apprentices.
“Whenever I get discouraged with the way things have gone politically, I think one thing that can’t be taken away from me is my heritage,” she said. “That’s rare, nowadays.”
Marianne LaCroix joined the Maine Lobster Promotion Council in 2006, and became acting director in 2012.
Previously, she worked for a Boston advertising agency, then moved to a Portland agency that handled the LL Bean account. There, she managed the Norwegian Seafood Export Council account and other seafood accounts such as Chilean salmon and tilapia. She was brought into the MLC due to her background in seafood marketing and foodservice events.
“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with such a great product, in an industry that is an integral part of Maine,” she said.
Record landings are a testament to the excellent resource management lobstermen have practiced for generations—but are also a marketing challenge, LaCroix said.
“As far as challenges go, though, too much lobster is a much better problem to have than too little, as is the case with so many of our fisheries today,” she said. “Another challenge is balancing the needs of the different industry groups in doing what is best for the industry as a whole.”
One of the best parts of the job, she said, is having the opportunity to witness, at promotion events, how enthusiastic people are about Maine lobster.
“It’s great to be promoting a product that has a national reputation as a premium, iconic brand,” she said.