Collins-led effort seeks to improve transport of Maine lobsters

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) led a bicameral, bipartisan contingent of her home-state lawmakers in urging federal transportation officials to ensure Maine lobsters are transported on time to specific domestic markets. 

“Lobster is a critical component of Maine’s economy, representing about three-quarters of the total value of commercial landings in the state in a typical year,” the lawmakers wrote in a Jan. 4 letter sent to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Deputy Administrator James Wiley Deck.

“With exports to foreign markets falling precipitously over the last several years due to retaliatory tariffs and the impact of COVID-19 on Maine’s tourism and hospitality industries, it has become increasingly important that Maine lobster can reach key domestic markets, such as nearby Boston, in a timely manner,” wrote Sen. Collins, U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-ME), and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jared Golden (D-ME).

Specifically, the lawmakers requested that the definition of “livestock” be clarified in the FMCSA’s Interim Final Rule “Hours of Service of Drivers: Definition of Agricultural Commodity” to include live lobsters and other shellfish.

The interim final rule aims to clarify the definition of “agricultural commodity” for the purposes of Hours of Service rules, which set maximum hours and other safety standards for commercial truck drivers, according to Sen. Collins’ office.

Specifically, while the interim final rule proposes that the definition of “livestock” be amended to include live fish and crawfish, it does not include lobsters, according to the lawmakers’ letter.

“We appreciate that the FMCSA seeks to provide additional clarity regarding these definitions and specifically requested comments on the applicability of these requirements to live shellfish,” they wrote. “To that end, we ask that the proposed definition be amended to include “…all other living animals cultivated, grown, raised, caught, or harvested for commercial purposes, including aquatic animals.” 

Such a change would allow truck drivers to transport live lobsters from Maine to other key domestic markets like Boston and New York without having to make stops on the way, according to Sen. Collins’ office, which said the lawmakers’ effort is supported by the Maine Lobstering Union and the Maine Motor Transport Association.