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Lobster Sale Meant to Raise Awareness of Industry Issues

October 26, 2009 - STONINGTON -- Bright sunshine and plenty of traffic made Sunday's "Lobster Sale on the Pier" a striking success at a time when lobster catchers generally have little to cheer about.

Volunteers from the Stonington Lobster Co-op, the Penobscot East Resource Center and other island community organizations gathered on the Stonington Lobster Pier to sell live lobsters at $5.25 each. The price was chosen deliberately, according to volunteer Susan Jones, although it was higher than some supermarkets and roadside vendors have been charging recently.

"We made the decision not to sell cheap lobsters," Jones said. "We made the decision to charge a fair price, and people understood that the Stonington fleet needs to make a living off that price."

With perhaps 300 buyers buying more than 900 lobsters, Sunday's sale provided an opportunity to help at least one group of consumers understand that Stonington and other fishing communities depend on the existence of an economically viable lobster fishery to maintain their existence.

Organized by the Stonington Lobster Working Group, part of the town's Economic Development Committee, the event was part of an industry-wide effort last weekend to boost retail lobster sales and to raise awareness of the issues facing the state's lobster fishermen.

– Mount Desert Islander, October 25, 2009


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Regions: Mid Coast


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