Lobster on the Maine Coast: Not as cheap as tourists might think

Remember last year when Black Friday rolled around and instead of celebrating cheaper flat screen TVs and Apple's only sale of the year, people stampeded and rioted and killed Wal-Mart employees? And it wasn't even the evil ones at the top of the food chain. It was that poor 80-yr-old greeter who just wants to be friendly and point you toward the easily accessible fire arms or the lead poisoned stuff from China. Sad. A tragedy really.

Well, apparently Mainers aren't too much more civilized. The lobster industry has taken such a hard hit over the last few years, that combined with rising fuel costs and increasing competition, Mainers are looking to other methods of protecting their territory and getting those Wal-Mart-esque returns on investments. Namely, they're shooting and drowning each other.

On a quaint island 22 miles out to sea, and nearby DownEast ME's tourist-laden Acadia National Park, there was a nearly fatal shooting on the docks one recent morning. The shooting occurred amongst the recent 3 lobster boat sinkings also plaguing the same port. Apparently there was even a pitchfork vs. fish gaff fight a couple of years back!

What gives? Just good ol' fashioned protectin' the "bottom." Main(e)landers aren't welcome to fish those island waters and some stalwarts are lettin' 'em know!

I have to say this all disappoints me a little. It makes me worry a bit about priorities and quality of life in our country. But then again, if I have to choose between two such disgraces, would I rather live in Long Island where people are Yankee fans and kill in the name of rolling back prices for Tickle-Me-Elmos or in God's Country where justice falls into the hands of those protecting what's theirs?