date:May 22, 2014
he largest lobster fishery in the country and by far the largest commercial fishery in the state. In 2013, nearly 126 million pounds of lobster with a record total dockside value of $364 million was caught by Maine fishermen.
Nichols said the closure in February was enacted through emergency rule-making in order to make it take effect immediately. He said the department intended at the time to eventually make the closure permanent so it could last for at least two years.
By making the closure