Certified Maine Lobster

Well there's finally some news on the "Certified Maine Lobster" front. As stated in the Sun Journal:

"Starting Monday, the Maine Lobster Promotion Council began distributing tags that will be affixed to crustaceans declairing them to be "Certified Maine Lobster"...Lobster dealers will be encouraged to attach the plastic ties with the trademarked "Certifed Maine Lobster" logo. And lobstermen will be given rubber bands emblazoned with the phrase to keep the claws clamped together."

There is definitely a need to do something about ensuring lobsters marked as “Maine lobsters” really are from Maine – the article rightly points out that “Maine lobster” has become synonymous with lobster in general in America, and many restaurants market all their lobster dishes as “Maine lobster,” regardless of origin.

That said, I wonder how easy it will be to cheat the system – for non Maine lobster fishermen and dealers to get hold of the bands and tags and for restaurant owners to simply recycle old Certified Maine Lobster tags on new lobsters from various points of origin.

I have yet to speak with my family about the program and look forward to getting their perspective on the initiative. I'll also post some pictures of my father or brother with the certification tags once I get my hands on them.