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JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION TO CONSIDER THE SAFETY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WORKING IN MAINE'S LOBSTER INDUSTRY
WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the Second Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as follows:
WHEREAS, the men and women who work in the Maine lobster industry are constantly at risk of injury and loss of life; and
WHEREAS,  the safety of these workers must be the primary concern of all government agencies that regulate the ocean; and
WHEREAS,  the Maine lobster industry has made many changes to help protect the right whale; and
WHEREAS,  no right whales have been killed by Maine lobster gear and deaths in 2019 were predominantly by ship strikes in Canadian waters or in one instance due to Canadian fishing gear entanglements; and
WHEREAS,  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has stated that right whales likely are not traveling in the waters in which Maine lobster fishing occurs; and
WHEREAS,  the proposal to modify the existing Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will not save any right whales in Maine waters but will put the lives of workers in the Maine lobster industry at great risk; and
WHEREAS,  the lobster industry is one of Maine's core traditional natural resource industries and has employed generations of Maine's citizens; and
WHEREAS,  the lobster industry contributes $1.5 billion to Maine's economy and entire communities depend upon the work that the lobster industry provides; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, respectfully urge and request that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration take the lives of the men and women of the Maine lobster industry into account in the agency's decision making and understand that the agency's proposed changes to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan will not save one right whale in Maine waters but will put many human lives in danger; and be it further
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to Dr. Neil Jacobs, acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.