Farmlands of the Sea Mass Lobstermen's Association

There is an effort underway to map the sea floor in the Gulf of Maine and actually south of that almost to Long Island. The purpose is to establish where ideal marine habitats exist. The mapping is being done piecing together existing information on the subject. Beyond this project is a debate that has already begun as to how much of this deep blue sea, if any, should be protected from human related disruption. One can read into this description, mining, oil exploration, water polluting activities, vessel transiting, and of course fishing. This search and rescue mission to discover the Marine Gardens of Eden has been floating along under the banner of Marine Protected Areas or MPA’s. Another place where such seemingly noble causes have been identified is already incorporated in the federal fishing laws under the term “Essential Fish Habitat”. The laws encourage the taking of actions, at least from the fishing aspect side, to protect such areas. Our conservation friends have picked up on all of this and are now aiming at taking this crusade of saving everything in and out of sight one wave beyond.

If one is trying to prevent a massive disruption of the ocean habitat, which could be caused by mining materials or changing ocean water climate and composition, there may well be some value to this endeavor. If, however, the goal is to attack fishing and fishermen, there is a need to redirect this effort right now.

When parks were established to preserve natural wilderness or greenery and efforts were undertaken to eliminate pollutants from the water or the air, no one meant that we, as humans, couldn’t go to the parks, drink the water or swim in it, or breath that air. This access should also remain available, within reason, for any ocean area. It is fine to identify some areas as being productive gardens. Preventing their destruction from human causes certainly has benefits for all but there is no need to banish all human activity from such areas. There is no need for so called “no take” or “fully protected areas” and there is no need to propose that fishermen be kept out, particularly if they do not harm that marine environment.

Lobster fishermen are farmers and they “farm” their farmland, which is in the sea. They do not harm the habitat and in fact, they provide feeding stations for marine creatures and actually contribute to the marine habitat in that area providing growth opportunities for plant life, add to the areas organism shelter complex and actually, it could be argued, nurture the area and keep it productive. Those misguided proponents of fully protected areas where no one can enter are most likely spurred by a faulty idealistic belief that all human activity is bad. Unfortunately also, in the case of the conservation zealots, it is yet another crusade to bolster their ego and their coffers.

Here in our side of the Gulf of Maine complex, there exists a prime target for the Marine Protected Area program. The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary stretches along the Massachusetts coastline and is not very far out. Hearings are being scheduled so that the public can comment on the Sanctuary’s “Management Plan”. It is called the Sanctuary “Report”.

The Plan, as presented, outlines the Area’s importance as an ideal Marine Garden of Eden. It explains what has been accomplished thus far and does not make any proposals for stopping any fisherman from using the Area. Here, however, is the kicker; it asks the public what else needs to be done. It can be expected that those who are currently looking over the entire Gulf of Maine and beyond in hopes of establishing some fully protected gardens will use this opportunity to make their first stab at such a concept. If they are successful here, where will lobstermen and maybe other fishermen face the next challenge to their livelihoods?

This should be important enough to the lobster fishing community to show up at these hearings and establish for the record their point that while protecting these types of areas from any disruptive activities can be supported, benign fishing practices such as lobstering, and there are other equally safe fishing operations as well, should not be restricted in these areas in the name of ocean environmental conservation. Farmers tend gardens and keep them productive and so too can lobstermen in any MPA.

Just scattering some seeds for thought.