Maine Lobstermen's Association

09/23/2026

⏰️ 2 Days to Go! Which team will win the Billion Egg Challenge? ⏰️

The Billion Egg Challenge team competition ends September 25 at MIDNIGHT. You’ve got two days left to count and report your notches and get them on the leaderboard!

If you’ve got notches sittin’ in the jar, now’s the time. Every notch reported before midnight on Friday counts toward your team’s final score.

Scan the QR code on your jar or click here to submit or head to https://buff.ly/ll8yhNW

When the competition ends, hold onto those notches. MLA will collect them to show what protecting 1 BILLION eggs looks like!

09/22/2026

Your body has worked hard for years. So how do you keep it ready for the job as you get older?

Strength, mobility, mindset and recovery all matter. And as Toni Small puts it, “You’re still an athlete in oilskins — it’s just now the game has changed.”

Read the full article to learn how to keep your body working with you, not against you. 👇

By Toni SmallYour age: it’s a number. Not everyone ages at the same rate – injury, chronic disease or pain can lead a person to grow old faster than their chronological years. Some folks age quicker sitting in a tractor trailer truck than you do working on the water. While the number helps us ge...

09/21/2026

🦞 NMFS is holding an online Public Scoping Meeting to discuss possible future whale regulations on Thursday, September 24, from 5pm to 7pm.🫍

Scoping is an opportunity to provide ideas and suggestions regarding any amendments to the federal whale plan, and information on the impact of the rules that are already in place.

Comments from the scoping period will inform discussions during the upcoming TRT meetings and potential future whale rules. You can comment either by attending the scoping meeting or providing written comments.

📝 Comments must be received by October 16, 2026.

FMI: https://buff.ly/yzLwFoO
To Register for online scoping meeting: https://buff.ly/YIgAI4W

09/21/2026

🦞 Billion Egg Challenge Leaderboard Update Week 12 🦞

After spending nearly the entire competition at the top of the leaderboard, Southern Maine heads into the final stretch in 1st with 29,153 notches.

But there’s still time for a shake-up — Downeast Tail Pinchers and Midcoast Notchmen are separated by just 127 notches!

The team competition closes Friday at MIDNIGHT, so REPORT THOSE NOTCHES! Every notch reported before the deadline counts toward your team’s final total.

Saturday: Final totals + the M***a Notcha Trophy winner announced!
Monday: We draw the winner of FREE LOBSTER FOR A YEAR!

Together, Maine lobstermen have already protected an incredible 785.98 MILLION future lobster eggs — but we’re not stopping there.

The team competition ends Friday. The Billion Egg Challenge doesn’t. Harvesters, keep V-notching, keep counting, and SAVE YOUR NOTCHES!

Thank you to our sponsors: Brooks Trap Mill, Greenhead Lobster, Luke's Lobster, Cousins Maine Lobster, Get Maine Lobster, Maine Lobster Now, Atwood Lobster LLC, Ready Seafood, Bold Coast Seafood, East Coast Seafood

09/20/2026

🚨Lobster Zone G Council Meeting has been rescheduled! 🚨

New Date:
September 29
5:00 p.m.
Kennebunkport Fire Department
32 North St, Kennebunkport

Zone G lobstermen are encouraged to attend and stay involved.

Meeting information and agenda: https://buff.ly/GFO1WEE

09/19/2026

🦞 Now THAT’S a notch jar!

Got notches sitting around waiting to be counted? Report ’em! Every notch gets us closer to ONE BILLION eggs protected.

We’re in the final days of the Billion Egg Challenge, so don’t leave those notches sitting in the jar.

Count ’em. Report ’em. Keep ’em coming!

www.billioneggchallenge.org

09/18/2026

ONE WEEK TO GO!

Hear from Midcoast Notchmen Team Captain John Tripp as we head into the FINAL WEEK of the Billion Egg Challenge!

John isn’t just leading the Midcoast crew — he’s currently #2 on the individual leaderboard with an impressive 4,594 notches!

Keep notching, keep counting, and keep reporting!

www.billioneggchallenge.org

09/18/2026

🦞 Two claws, two very different jobs! American lobsters have a powerful crusher claw for cracking shells and a sharper cutter claw for grabbing, slicing, and tearing food. It’s a pretty impressive example of how anatomy has adapted to function!

09/18/2026

Fall ME-NH Trawl Survey begins September 21.

DMR’s annual survey will run through October 23, covering waters from Portland to Portsmouth before working east to Lubec.

Lobstermen: If you have gear in the path of a scheduled tow, please clear 1/8 mile on either side of the towline for the day of the tow to avoid Marine Patrol having to move gear.

Tow locations, coordinates and schedules can be found on DMR’s website under “Most Recent Trawl Survey.” https://buff.ly/2YM9CDl

09/17/2026

🐟️ Menhaden Fishery remains open.

Maine DMR reports that a combination of slowing landings and securing additional transfers will allow menhaden commercial fishery to remain open after Thursday, September 17. Current effort measures remain in place: harvest on Mondays and Thursdays with a daily vessel limit of 7,000 pounds.

DMR will continue to monitor the pace of landings with the remaining quota and provide updates to industry.

Same day reporting remains in place. Timely reports are crucial for accurately monitoring quota usage. Late season overages may reduce the following season's harvest -- no one wants to start next year's season with less quota than expected.

Read more: https://buff.ly/SttUMXI