ROCKLAND, Maine – Lobster is as connected to this state’s image as its rocky coastline and thick forests. But for years, fishermen and others here say, Canada has been engaged in a kind of identity theft – much of the lobster caught in Maine waters is shipped north of the border to be chopped, frozen or cooked, and packaged. The meat is then resold as a product of Canada across the United States and the world. That means millions of pounds of Maine lobster lose their local branding, Canadian businesses are able to largely dictate the price, and the state loses out on much-needed jobs and revenue.
Now, some local entrepreneurs are trying to take back the processing business, motivated by a growing market for lobster products, an environmental push to buy local, and a change in state law that makes it easier to sell lobster in parts – tails and claws.
The new processing companies are part of an upswing in Maine’s lobster industry. Last year, 94 million pounds of the spiny bottom-crawlers were hauled from the sea by Maine lobstermen – 66 percent more than a decade ago – generating $313 million, according to state data. But as it has for many years, about half of the catch went to Canada.
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