Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lobster Rules topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coastal senators, fishermen protest lobster‑size change tucked into omnibus
Summary
A late addition to the omnibus (Section 64) to allow smaller, out‑of‑state lobsters to be sold in Connecticut drew fierce opposition from lobstermen and several senators, who warned the change could undercut local fishermen and harm the long‑standing Connecticut lobster industry.
A narrow, late addition to the 75‑section workforce omnibus — a provision that would permit sale of slightly smaller lobsters in Connecticut than the state’s current size limits — set off some of the session’s most emotional floor exchanges on May 1. Coastal senators and fishing‑industry representatives urged delay and additional rulemaking before any change takes effect.
Senator Paul Summers, who represents coastal communities, told the chamber the change ‘‘did not have a full public hearing’’ and said industry groups had voted overwhelmingly against the language as drafted. He urged that the change be postponed so the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) could develop enforceable mechanisms to prevent undersized lobsters harvested in Long Island waters from being marketed here.
Fishermen argued the difference is not trivial: Connecticut’s current legal minimum (by statute and DEEP rules) is set to reflect local marine conditions and stewardship; a one‑sixteenth‑inch variance, they said, would give out‑of‑state suppliers an opening to sell product that Connecticut fishermen can’t lawfully harvest—creating an uneven playing field for the remaining small fleet. ‘‘Allowing out‑of‑state, undersized lobsters into our markets will undercut our lobstermen at the dock,’’ one senator summarized on the floor.
DEEP and supporters said the change was driven by a desire to harmonize sizes with neighboring jurisdictions and to make supplies more affordable for restaurants. But multiple senators — including several who represent shore communities — said they were not consulted on the final language and called for more time and a clear enforcement plan before allowing the change to take effect.
Why it matters: Connecticut’s lobstering fleet is small and economically fragile after decades of compressions in stock abundance and vessel counts. Local fishermen and coastal communities told senators they fear any regulatory shortcut that makes it easier to import smaller product and blunt local harvests and prices.
Provenance: The issue was raised repeatedly in floor debate while the omnibus bill was being considered; concern about the limited hearing and DEEP’s request for more time was explicitly recorded on the Senate floor.
