June 20, 2019
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers including our members at local Lobster207 in Trenton, Maine, we urge you to support Representatives Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree’s amendment to the Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. We are very concerned with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) approach to evaluating the North Atlantic right whale and the fact that it has not been peer-reviewed.
The Machinists Union is well aware the North Atlantic right whale is an endangered species that migrate along the North Atlantic coast. While Maine Lobstermen are sympathetic to the plight of whales, they have been fishing in the bays of Maine for centuries. NOAA’s science on the whales is not complete nor is the data dependable. Sadly, our Lobstermen are being targeted as villains in this situation when in fact, they have done everything they can to ensure the whales are not hurt nor do they fish near the whales’ migration route. Sacrificing this industry worth $485 million to the state of Maine is simply unacceptable.
We urge you to support Representative Jared Golden and Chellie Pingree’s amendment to protect jobs in Maine and support a peer-review of NOAA’s evaluation.
For more information, please contact IAM Legislative Director Hasan Solomon at (301) 967-4575 or hsolomon@iamaw.org.
Respectfully,
Robert G. Martinez, Jr.
International President
