July
July 15 – Women on the Water, noon – 5 p.m., at Geary Brewing Company, 38 Evergreen Dr, Portland, ME
Come celebrate with women of Maine’s waterways at Geary’s Brewing Company. Whether you work on the water or the water inspires your work, get salty with your seafaring sisterhood and friends! We will have music, art, comedy, storytelling, shopping, seafood and craft pretzels, corn hole, a raffle, open mic, and we’ll raise some money for the #savemainelobstermen fund. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Maine Lobstermen‘s Community Alliance.
July 16 – All Hands on Deck: Stonington/Deer Isle 1:40 – 4 p.m. Edgewood Farm, 40 Dunham Point Rd., Deer Isle, ME
Join MLA, MLCA, and hosts, John and Judy Williams, for an informational #SaveMaineLobstermen fundraiser on Sunday, July 16. Lobster rolls & whoopie pies are on the menu. The event is free & open to the public. Come ready to learn and (if willing) donate to the MLA Legal Defense Fund to help us continue to have your back! Questions – or to RSVP, contact kevin@mainelobstermen.org
July 20 – The Lobster Institute Summer Event
Our Lobster Coast: Past, Present, and Future – An Evening with Rick Wahle and Heather Cox Richardson
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Thanks to Rick Wahle and Heather Cox Richardson, the Lobster Institute is able to offer an intimate fundraising dinner event at the Darling Marine Center on Thursday, July 20, 2023, from 5 – 8:00 p.m.
Heather Cox Richardson and Rick Wahle, in conversation with the audience, will reflect on the past, present, & future of Maine’s lobster fishery, sharing personal stories, science highlights, and historical context on what has been an extraordinary past three decades for our iconic lobster coast.
Guests will enjoy hors d`oeuvres and drinks, followed by a sumptuous lobster scampi or vegetarian primavera dinner provided by Seacoast Catering. The conversation and Q & A over dessert and coffee will commence at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, please visit the Lobster Institute website at umaine.edu/lobsterinstitute/events or our Eventbrite page.
August
2023 Lobster Boat Races Schedule – August
Saturday, August 12 – Winter Harbor
Sunday, August 13 – Merritt Brackett (Pemaquid)
Saturday, August 19 – Long Island
Sunday, August 20 – MS Harborfest (Portland)
August 3-6 – Maine Lobster Festival, Rockland. The Maine Lobster Festival is five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine! The Maine Lobster Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Rockland, Maine, each year with the promise of fresh, local lobster dinners, nationally renowned entertainers, cooking contests, activities for all ages, Maine craftsmen, and artists.
August 27 – Music, Masts & Lobster Traps: August 27, 2023 – A Celebration of Maine’s Lobstering Heritage with an afternoon of food, local brews, and live music from Maine’s own The Mallett Brothers Band at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Proceeds to benefit the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is working to support the Maine Lobstermen’s Association’s efforts to protect Maine’s lobstering heritage.
October 22 – 27, 2023
12th International Conference and Workshop on Lobster (and Crab) Biology and Management (ICWL)
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The Western Rock Lobster Council (WRL), Australia’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) and Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) are pleased to be hosting the 12th ICWL workshop on 22 – 27 October 2023 at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle, Western Australia.
ICWL returns to where it all began in Western Australia (WA) over 40 years ago, when a group of 37 lobster biologists from 6 countries met in Perth, Australia to discuss and compare their work on lobster ecology, physiology, and management protocols, and to find common themes amongst the different species that were commercially fished. Since its humble beginnings the ICLW has grown in popularity and prestige, and in recent years has attracted 150-200 participants from around 20 different countries.
Fremantle is a major port for the western rock lobster fleet just 20 km from Perth, the capital city of WA. The western rock lobster fishery is the largest single species fishery in Australia with a value of over AUD$450 million annually, and a long history of internationally recognised research, management, and compliance. In 2000, this fishery was the first in the world to receive the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) accreditation.
The theme of the 12th ICWL is ‘ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM)’. EBFM is a holistic approach to fisheries management that recognises all the interactions within an ecosystem rather than considering a single species or issue in isolation. We consider this represents best practice for fisheries management and reflects that fisheries research and management focus is now broader than just sustainability. Therefore, in addition to presentations that focus on lobster (and crab) biology and stock assessment, we will also welcome presentations that examine other aspects of EBFM, such as ecosystem effects of fishing, economic assessments, social issues, governance, and compliance with management regulations.
Next year we are also very excited to extend the scope of the conference to include submissions relating to other decapod species, specifically crabs, welcoming abstracts on all aspects of crab research, biology and management.
Given the interest in lobster aquaculture worldwide, particularly the Asian region, we are also hoping to attract strong support for the planned aquaculture session. As always an industry day is planned to be an important component of the program, and we are looking forward to welcoming commercial and recreational lobster industry participants.
WRL, FRDC and DPIRD are looking forward to hosting scientists, managers and industry participants in Western Australia in 2023. We welcome any ideas that you may have for the lobster workshop such as particular sessions and special workshops that could be held as part of the 12th ICWL.
Co-chairs
Nick Caputi Nic Sofoulis
(nick.caputi@dpird.wa.gov.au) (sofs1@bigpond.com)