Maine seafood, buoyed by lobsters, broke value record in ‘15

PORTLAND, Maine – Maine officials say the state’s lifeblood commercial fishing industry once again broke records for the value of marine species at the dock in 2015.

Fishermen in the state topped $631 million with their catch last year, surpassing the previous year’s total by more than $33 million. Last year’s total catch also broke previous records.

Lobsters constituted more than three-quarters of the total value at more than $495 million, a record for the state’s signature item.

Lobsters’ value at the dock also climbed above $4 per pound for the first time since 2007. Price to consumers held steady last year due to a high total catch of more than 120 million pounds.

Maine’s softshell clam industry also set a state record at $22.5 million.