The Gulf of Maine, the backbone of our local fishing industry, is under threat. Offshore wind projects, foreign fish farms, arbitrary federal closures, lobster gauge increases, changes to trap vents, and now the Black Box Trackers are jeopardizing not only our marine life but also the livelihoods of countless men and women in the Lobster Industry.

The Gulf of Maine supports an estimated 3,000+ species of marine life (source: NOAA), many directly linked to our fishing industry. Moreover, it provides jobs for thousands in our community who depend on this resource for their livelihoods. It's not just about preserving a way of life; it's about protecting an ecosystem that supports us all.

We believe that those who work these waters should have a say in their future. We need your support to ensure that we can continue to protect our bays from industrialization while maintaining sustainable practices that will allow us to thrive for generations to come.

Five Maine lobstermen, with the support of the Sustainable Maine Fishing Foundation, have filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Maine alleging that recent rules promulgated by the Maine Department of Marine Fisheries (“MDMR”) present an immediate and serious risk to the constitutionally protected privacy interests of Maine lobstermen.

Those rules, which went into effect on December 15, 2023, mandate that all Maine lobstermen with federal lobster fishing permits install and maintain 24-hour electronic tracking devices on their lobster fishing vessels and to keep them operational “when the vessel is in the water regardless of the landing state, trip type, location fished or target species.”

These five are fighting to protect ALL Maine Lobstermen. It has been said that "only a few fishermen" disagree with the Black Box requirement. By signing this petition you will be standing with these men and women - opposing this restriction, and fighting to save this iconic industry.