Senator Cathy Cook, R-Mystic, today applauded the General Assembly for including funding for a lobster restoration program in the 2007 state budget.

“Restoring the lobster population in Long Island is important for our environment, for the commercial fishermen who make their living this way, and for all of us who thoroughly enjoy a lobster dinner. It is no secret that I was disappointed that the legislation we passed last year acknowledged the need to restore the lobster population, but did not include any money to carry out a restoration program. This year’s budget includes the money, and I am grateful to Governor Rell and my colleagues in the General Assembly for their support,” said Senator Cook.

The 2007 state budget adjustment packaged adopted by the General Assembly includes $1 million that will be used to fund a lobster v-notch program, if the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council agrees that this program is the best option for restoring the lobster population. A v-notch program, pioneered in Rhode Island, involves paying licensed commercial fishermen to notch the tails of mature female lobsters they return to the sea in order to increase egg production.

In the event that the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council does not agree that implementing a v-notch program in Connecticut is feasible, $600,000 in funding would be used to buy back lobster pots from licensed commercial fishermen and the remaining $400,000 used for other types of restoration efforts.

“I am hopeful that the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council will find that implementing a v-notch program here would be the best course of action. However, I am delighted to see that, regardless, the state is committed to taking action to both restore lobster the population and assist the commercial fishermen,” said Senator Cook.