Obama Administration Responds to Maine Congressional Delegation about Lobster Exports to Europe

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin today announced that the U.S. Department of State is working to address their concerns about an effort by Sweden to ban imports of live lobster into the entire 28-member European Union.  In a letter responding to the Maine Congressional delegation, State Department Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Julia Frifield wrote that the State Department is “actively working to ensure that the European Commission does not impede the legitimate trade of live lobsters, including those from Maine.”

“The Administration is in close contact with European officials to try to ensure the U.S. exports of live lobster are not unjustifiably restricted, and we are working through our missions in Europe to emphasize that the EU should only take measures based on sound science,” she added.

            In response to her letter, Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Poliquin said, “We are pleased that the Administration is taking this seriously, and we will continue to press the State Department and other federal agencies to protect Maine fishermen and the Maine economy from these baseless attacks.”

On March 28, the Maine delegation wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking for his help to “ensure that the EU does not erect unjustifiable barriers to these markets.” The delegation also questioned Sweden's claim that a small number of lobsters found in European waters justify a total ban on imports and argued that European officials should use sound scientific principals in assessing any perceived threat from Maine lobsters.

A copy of the delegation’s letter to Secretary Kerry from March 28 is here, and the response received this week is here. Copies of the response were sent to each member of the delegation individually.

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