Further decline in the lobster prices mounted tensions among Maine fishermen to the breaking point, leading to the first recorded shooting from a fishing ground dispute. It is said that eighty percent of U.S.-fished lobster, almost 70 million pounds, is caught in the waters off the coast of Maine by a mere 6,000 fishermen.
Traditionally, Maine lobster fishing grounds are regulated by an informal system under which individual fishermen stake out a claim to various specific locations. Though these boundaries are usually respected, there is a long tradition of incursion and defense of these grounds. It is told that the recent drop of lobster prices from $4 per pound to $3 has caused upswing among fishermen.
It is informed that fishermen have cut the fishing lines of rivals fishing in “their” waters, forcing them to replace the traps at a cost of $70 to $100 each. Boats have had their engines disabled and herring dumped in their gasoline tanks, while others have been rammed or sunk.
