Pandemic drives cancellation of popular Maine Fishermen’s Forum
File Photo / Laurie Schreiber
The annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum attracts large audiences like this one at a seminar during the three-day March 2020 event. The tight environment prompted the forum’s board of directors to cancel the 2021 event due to the pandemic.
Although the annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum is still five months out, its board of directors this week announced it has canceled the 2021 event because of the pandemic.
“There is no possible way that we can protect our forum participants in such a tight environment, due to COVID-19 and required safety restrictions,” Steve Train, a lobster fisherman on Casco Bay's Long Island and president of the forum’s board of directors, wrote in an Oct. 21 letter to commercial fishermen and posted to the forum’s website.
The letter added, “The board intends to continue serving the commercial fishing industry throughout 2021. We will be meeting soon to discuss options, and will share more details as they become available.”
At this point, the board intends to stick with the 2022 conference, which is scheduled for March 3-5.
The free, three-day forum, is typically held at the Samoset Resort in Rockport during the first weekend of March, before the traditional lobster fishing season gears up. It is the largest event of its kind in New England.
The forum offers fishermen an opportunity to meet on neutral ground with fisheries managers, state and federal legislators, scientists and conservationists. It attracts hundreds of attendees interested in learning the latest on fishery topics and typically features about 30 seminars on fishery topics, with much interest going to Maine’s lobster fishery.
Other fisheries in Maine and New England get their share of attention, too, including shellfish, groundfish, herring, and aquaculture. Topics that impact the fisheries are also featured; in recent years, the offshore wind industry has been a hot topic.
The forum hosts the annual meeting of the Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association, attracting a packed room of fishermen who transform their workboats into race machines for a summer-long series along the coast.
Additional activities include a trade show, benefit auction, children’s programs, seafood reception, and evening dinners and entertainment.
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