By Rob Wile -
NBC News
The decision by supermarket chain Whole Foods to suspend purchases of Maine lobster has sparked an outcry from state elected officials and the lobster industry.
Whole Foods' decision, announced this month, follows changes in the sustainability ratings of Maine lobster fisheries by different seafood watchdog groups: the California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch , and the London-based Marine Stewardship Council.
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Both point to a recent US court decision that equipment used to catch lobsters in Maine may endanger North American right whales.
These whales have been included in the list of endangered species since 1970, and it is estimated that there are less than 350 remaining.
A seven foot mako shark leaps out of the water and lands on the deck of a fishing boat
Sept.
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In a joint statement last Tuesday, Maine's congressional delegation and Gov. Janet Mills said they were disappointed by the decisions, saying they harmed "the livelihoods of hardworking men and women throughout Maine's coast." .
“There has never been a right whale death attributed to Maine lobster fishing gear,” they alleged.
"Maine's lobstermen have a 150-year history of sustainability, and the state's lobstering community has consistently demonstrated its commitment to protecting right whales."
They said the Marine Stewardship Council "wrongly and blindly decided to follow the recommendations of the wrong environmental groups instead of science," adding: "We strongly urge the Marine Stewardship Council and retailers to reconsider their potentially devastating decisions."
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Maine lobsters are a $1 billion industry that provides at least 5,900 direct jobs and indirectly supports many more, according to the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, which coordinates media for the state's lobster industry.
A worker weighs a lobster for grading in Arundel, Maine, on January 24. Wang Ying / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima
The Maine restaurant industry is also expressing its dismay.
“Maine lobster has always been sustainable and that hasn't changed with the recent MSC announcement,” Steve Kingston, owner of The Clam Shack in Kennebunk, Maine, said in a statement.
“I will continue to proudly support Maine lobster, and I encourage retailers, buyers and customers to educate themselves on the nuances of these decisions,” he added.
A Monterey Bay spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the Marine Stewardship Council could not immediately be reached for comment.
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Whole Foods said the sales pause would last until at least one of the environmental groups changed its rating.
The company said its stores would continue to sell Marine Stewardship Council-certified lobster caught elsewhere.
