PORTLAND, Maine - Maine marine authorities are looking for input from lobstermen about how they might be impacted by federal regulations designed to protect corals off New England.
The regulatory New England Fishery Management Council is considering protecting corals in the Gulf of Maine. Two of the proposed protection areas are Outer Schoodic Ridge and the area southwest of Mount Desert Rock.
The state Department of Marine Resources says one of the proposed management options is a complete ban on fishing. The department has proposed exempting the lobster and crab fisheries in the two areas.
Maine Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher says the areas under consideration are ``very important'' to the lobster industry. He's asking lobstermen who fish in the areas to provide the department with information to help inform any new regulations.