SENATOR COLLINS EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT CANADIAN LOBSTER SITUATION

     Bangor, ME-The following is a statement from Kevin Kelley, Senator Susan Collins' spokesman:

"Senator Susan Collins talked this afternoon with the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson, to express her deep concern about the actions of some Canadian lobstermen who are illegally blocking the delivery of Maine lobster to Canadian processing plants. 

"Senator Collins explained that, for many years, Maine lobster has been trucked to Canadian processing plants due to an unfortunate lack of an adequate number of processing plants on the American side of the border. 

"She urged the Ambassador to contact public safety officials in the Canadian government, as well as the premier of New Brunswick, to insist that they enforce an immediate end to the blockade and help ensure safe passage of delivery trucks carrying perishable Maine lobster.

"Senator Collins's intervention was sought by Maine's Governor, the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources Pat Keliher, the Maine Lobstermen Association, and the Maine Motor Transport Association, who contacted her about the crisis earlier today."