A coalition of lobster businesses and industry groups from Maine filed a federal lawsuit this week against the California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, accusing the environmental group of defamation.
The coalition, led by the Maine Lobstermen's Association (MLA), claims the foundation made defamatory statements about Maine lobster fishing practices, misleading consumers and commercial lobster buyers about the state's lobster harvest, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Maine.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program makes recommendations to consumers and major seafood sellers about where to purchase products. Last year, the group downgraded Maine lobster from “good alternative” to “avoid,” pointing to risks the state's fishery poses to endangered North Atlantic right whales.
“They conducted this inquiry, this analysis, based on what they characterized as all scientific data and a rigorous and transparent science-based process. But the facts are just the opposite,” Kevin Lipson, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “The facts are that Maine lobster fishing practices have actually contributed to the sustainability not only of the lobster fishery, but of North Atlantic right whales.”
“There is no science-based analysis that supports the red listing and the impact is really dramatic, not only on the 5,000 fishing families that earn a living from lobstering, but it has a reverberating effect throughout the economy of Maine,” Lipson continued. “The effects of this ripple throughout the Maine economy — whether it's real estate, car sales, food sales, employment, tourism — because Maine is synonymous with lobster and an attack on Maine lobstering is an attack on a traditional way of life, a multigenerational way of life.”
Lipson noted that the coalition had contacted the Monterey Bay Aquarium twice requesting the data which indicated Maine lobstermen pose a threat to right whales but the requests went unanswered, prompting the lawsuit.
Lipson defended the fisherman's practices and pointed to their vast conservation efforts and the positive impact they've had on the Maine coastline, including removing over 30,000 miles of rope from the ocean.
Shortly after Seafood Watch, which has commitments from companies like Blue Apron, Cheesecake Factory, Hello Fresh and Whole Foods altered its ratings for lobster caught in the Gulf of Maine, commercial buyers including Whole Foods stopped purchasing the product.
According to the MLA, federal data shows that there has never been a recorded right whale death caused by lobster fishing equipment in Maine and the last recorded whale equipment-caused entanglement came more than two decades ago.
“I am a sixth-generation lobsterman. I work hard to support my family and depend on a healthy ocean for my livelihood,” said Gerry Cushman, the owner of Maine-based small business Bug Catcher Inc. and a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed against the Monterey Bay Aquarium this week.
“Like my fellow lobstermen, I will continue to do all I can to protect the ocean and its wildlife just as my forefathers have done,” Cushman added. “Our stewardship practice is a tradition that defines what Maine is all about. The barrage of lies about Maine fishing practices must be confronted and defeated by truth.”
John Petersdorf, the CEO of Bean Maine Lobster Inc., told Fox News the lawsuit would help eradicate the “damage done by folks who have no clue about the care taken by lobstermen to protect the ecosystem and the ocean.”
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, though, blasted the lawsuit as “meritless” and said there was evidence lobster fishing equipment posed risks to right whales.
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Kudos to the lobster businesses and industry groups from Maine. I hope they sue the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation into oblivion. These loony woke liberal nut-job organizations need to be exterminated.
Hooray defund MBNA totally
Avoid Monterey CA area
Send these anti American Marxists back to whatever planet they came from
Perhaps those nutcases out in Monterey need to start looking into the spate of whale deaths near the wind turbines being constructed off the New Jersey coast. “Green” energy at it’s finest….NOT!! Let’s find out what is causing those.
Good luck to the lobstermen.
Environmental goofballs have harmed human beings since the 1970’s. Well I recall a woman from the West whose house burned down in the early 80’s. Why? The ‘green’ wackos forbade her to dig fire trenches around her property with insurmountable penalties, lest her fire trenches disturb the habitat of poor little prairie dogs. ‘Who’s more important,’ she protested. ‘Little prairie dogs of human beings?’ By the way, these prairie dogs are carriers of Yersinia pestis, the Black Plague, and provide vectors for the spread of the disease.
lies, damn lies and the lying liars who tell them–envirowhacko edition.