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46 min ago

Maine fishermen press for fair rules in 'Gray Zone' waters between Maine and Canada

By Renee Cordes

Maine fishermen are urging U.S. trade officials for fair rules governing fishing practices in international waters between Maine and Canada.

Known as the Gray Zone, the 277-square-mile stretch of ocean is fished by both countries and remains one of America’s only contested maritime borders. 

“American fishermen have sacrificed more than most people will ever understand. They’ve rebuilt stocks, innovated gear, protected habitat and carried the weight of conservation on their backs,” Swan’s Island fisherman Jason Joyce recently told the International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C.

“We are not asking for special treatment,” added Joyce, who serves on the board of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association. “We are asking for fair rules, equal competition and respect for the sacrifices American fishermen have made to protect this shared ocean. The Gray Zone can no longer remain a gray area.”

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District, makes a similar argument in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer circulated to the media.

“The U.S. government should do everything in its power to ensure that our fishermen are not at a competitive disadvantage and deprived of economic opportunity,” he writes. “Maine’s seafood harvesters have been awaiting a resolution to the Gray Zone for too long and at great consequence to their safety, their businesses and the natural resources they depend on.” 

Golden submitted his letter along with testimony from Maine harvesters Virginia Olsen and Dustin Delano, who also serve as the political director of the Maine Lobstering Union and chief strategist of policy and operations for the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, respectively. 

Golden, who has served in the House for eight years, is not seeking reelection next year. 

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