Lawmakers: End tax breaks for companies that pull lobster
Two lawmakers in Maine want to prohibit the state from offering tax breaks or contracts to companies that stop selling lobster after concerns were raised by sustainability organisations. This year, the Marine Stewardship Council and Seafood Watch withdrew their endorsements of the U.S. lobster fishing industry, citing concerns about the risk of fishing gear to rare North Atlantic right whales. Some retailers, including supermarkets and meal kit companies, responded by pledging to pull lobster from their inventories. Republicans Sen. Trey Stewart and Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham said on Tuesday that the proposed law would prohibit businesses from utilising the state's business equipment tax reimbursement or exemption programmes if they ban, boycott, or restrict the sale of a legally harvested Maine product due to third-party certification. Additionally, the proposal would prohibit the state from entering into any contracts with the companies. Faulkingham, who is also a commercial lobs...