Talking with my friends who lobster commercially their take is that all these new gear regulations and speed restrictions is going to drive a majority of the fleet out of business. What I’m told by them is that the only people who will be able to hang in are the ones who have big boats who can fish a full 800 trap license year round and the little guys who lobster as a side job and have some other source of income.

As for the ground fishing industry. That’s all but dead. to my knowledge there are still a few working out of Portland but north of Casco bay there’s not a single one that I know of.