Lobster Fishermen Sue Seafood Watch | Durham News

Maine lobster fishermen are taking on the Monterey Bay Aquarium in a high-stakes legal battle over its “red list” that labeled American and Canadian lobster as environmentally harmful — claiming it endangers rare whales through fishing gear entanglement. The case, now before a federal appeals court, has drawn sharp criticism from judges concerned about First Amendment implications if such recommendations can be legally challenged. Fishermen argue the list is misleading, harms their $460 million industry, and wrongly blames them when other fisheries — like Canada’s snow crab fishery — pose greater threats to whale populations. The aquarium claims Seafood Watch didn’t target specific plaintiffs, but the lawsuit has already survived lower court dismissal attempts. With Maine’s economy and culture deeply tied to lobster, this case could reshape how environmental ratings impact seafood industries nationwide. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b11b7ec7e84a5488