As the old saying goes, motherhood and apple pie are two things Americans can agree on. In Maine politics, lobster would be on the corresponding short list. That explains why politicians here are quick to denounce the latest attack on the industry, a lobster “red list” by a California aquarium that maintains a list of seafood it says retailers should avoid. It’s an extension of the battle between Maine lobstermen and federal regulators over regulations aimed at helping the endangered right whale. Both the industry and politicians here have been on the losing end of a legal battle over these regulations in recent months, which led to the seasonal closure of a major fishery last year and gear changes. While entanglements are a threat to the species, no Maine lobster string has been linked to one in about 20 years. Apoplectic officials have since issued a flurry of statements, capped by a broadside at the aquarium from Gov. Janet Mills and her congressional delegation on Friday, accusing her of “baseless slander” of the industry and demanding that the red list be overturned after her. prompted some retailers to pull lobster from menus. Mills and independent Sen. Angus King held a news conference Friday in Portland on the issue in which King called the aquarium an “arrogant fish zoo,” according to an NBC Boston reporter. While Mills and the delegation spoke with one voice this week to fight the federal regulations, there were some significant political differences on issues facing the industry. Lobstermen protested last year against Mills’ support for offshore wind projects, leading the governor and Legislature to compromise on the ban in state waters. Those issues are part of Mills and Golden’s re-election campaign as they take on former Gov. Paul LePage and former Rep. Bruce Poliquin, both Republicans who accuse Democrats of hypocrisy. Both Golden and Mills have previously been supported by the League of Conservation Voters, which has supported restrictions aimed at helping the right whale. He spent nearly $360,000 to boost Golden in 2018. Poliquin also pointed to the incumbent’s support for the Deflation Act, which sent $3 billion to the federal agency imposing restrictions. “Now more than ever our lobster industry needs a solid, proven ally,” LePage said in a statement this week. But all of this requires basic context. First, the League of Conservation Voters last flagged lawmakers on this issue in 2019, when it slammed those who supported a measure to block restrictions on right whales. The main sponsor was Golden. Last year, the league donated to Golden, but later said it would only support candidates who voted for President Joe Biden’s Build Back Back Better plan, which Golden opposed. He said Friday that he does not support restrictions now. Lawmakers have also sent billions to NOAA on a bipartisan basis, including in the recent infrastructure bill sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Funding the agency has never been a red line for the Maine delegation, even as it battles the federal government. And when LePage supported offshore oil drilling in 2018, Poliquin, lobster groups and environmentalists objected, underscoring long-standing tension over energy ideas and the alliances that come and go around the iconic industry. On Friday, Golden responded to a court ruling that upheld the federal restrictions by saying the judge set “a dangerous precedent that could further open the floodgates for environmental groups seeking to continue to abuse the court system to put fishermen out of business ». It was another example of what you’ll see in the coming days, with politicians saying much of the same thing on lobster issues. But that’s not going to stop the campaign’s arguments.
