2010 Canadian/U.S. lobstermen’s town meeting March 26-27

The Lobster Institute will host its seventh consecutive Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen’s Town Meeting in Portland, Maine on Friday March 26 and Saturday March 27. The event is an industry-wide gathering of lobstermen and other interested parties to discuss the status of the lobster resource and the industry – from the perspective of the fishermen.

While the 2008 and 2009 town meeting focused on the economic situations influencing the lobster industry, this year’s meeting will focus on “Where do we go from here?” Discussion will focus on ways to secure the economic viability of the lobster industry moving into the future.

Michael Gardner, of Gardner Pinfold Consulting Economists, will give a keynote presentation; building upon the study his firm conducted in 2006 entitled Benchmark Study on Canadian Lobster, which was a comparative analysis of the Canadian and Maine lobster industries.

The March 26 presenters, and the topics they will cover, include: •Deb Neuman from Target Technology Center – discussing value-added products •Geoff Irvine of the Lobster Council of Canada, and Dane Somers of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council – discussing market trends •Bernie Feeney, President of Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association – discussing marketing your own product •Michael Tourkistas from East Coast Seafood/Paturel International and Tim Kayfus from Ruby Tuesday – discussing pricing from boat to plate •Gary Lupinacci from the Transportation Security Administration discussing Certified Cargo Screening.

The March 27 portion of the meeting will center on sustainability certification and any other topics of interest.

The town meeting is designed first and foremost to allow fishermen’s voices to be heard. The goals have remained the same since these were first established: to provide fishermen with an opportunity to share with one another what they are observing in their day-to-day operations, what their concerns might be, and what positive things they are seeing.

Darden Restaurants serves as the primary sponsor of the town meeting each year and Fishery Products International/Highliner Foods, sponsors the seafood reception each year. Other 2010 sponsors include Downeast Lobstermen’s Association, East Coast/Paturel, Maine Import/Export Lobster Dealer’s Association, Riverdale Mills (Jim & Betty Knott), and new this year - Ruby Tuesday.

For more details and registration information contact the Lobster Institute at 207-581-1443 or go to the website at www.lobsterinstitute.org.

The Lobster Institute has been working with and serving the lobster industry from New York to Newfoundland since 1987. The core mission of the Lobster Institute is to sustain the lobster resource and lobster fishery through conservation, outreach, research and education.

Located at The University of Maine, the Lobster Institute was founded jointly by Maine’s lobster industry associations and the university. It now works for and with lobstermen and all sectors of the lobster industry from Long Island Sound to Newfoundland.