Maine’s lobster fishermen, lobster dealers and processors have some financial decisions to make this winter.

The Maine Lobster Promotion Council has been in existence for nearly 10 years. The council’s funding has remained flat while expenses have risen in a period when expenses for all other businesses have risen. Advertising, public relations and promotion costs have increased, as have rent, heat and other operating expenses. The demand for MLPC promotional materials only continues to grow.

With innovative and creative management of the budget, the MLPC has continued to do an aggressive job of promoting Maine’s lobsters around the world. It has attracted other sources of money to enhance funding from the industry. In the last couple of years, availability of some funding sources has dried up some or shrunk. Both under-funded and understaffed, the council will need an increase in funding from the industry.

In 1990, Maine was landing under 30 million pounds and having difficulty selling them at depressed prices. In 1999, Maine landed 53 million pounds with strong markets and better prices. I will not be one to try to give the Maine Lobster Promotion Council all the credit for this success story. There are many forces that determine prices and affect supply and demand. I do think the MLPC deserves some credit for helping us get to where we are today.

Promotion and education efforts out of state and overseas to both Europe and the Asian Rim countries had to have helped create demand to help our dealers move some of these lobsters. Lobster exports have doubled both in volume and value since the council has been a partner in the federally funded Market Access Program (MAP).

The question is, are fishermen going to step up to the plate and fund this organization in a way so they can continue to go out there and open and expand markets for their product? With more funding, the Lobster Promotion Council will be able to seek more in the way of external funds for promotional projects, as well as fulfill its mandate.

Nothing sells itself. Do we go out and look to expand markets for our lobsters? Most businesses like Ford, GM, Volvo, etc. all have advertising and marketing as part of their operating budget.

I was at a meeting years ago and one of the bigger Maine lobster dealers looked at another dealer and said do you have any money for advertising and marketing in your budget?

This question was gradually passed around the room to each dealer and no dealer set aside any money for advertising and marketing. So, the Maine Lobster Promotion Council is our best hope for improving our markets. Will we fund it properly.

W. William Anderson of Lubec was the chairman of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council for seven years.