Biking down the dirt road toward the dock is one of my favorite activities in Maine. My uncle and I are going on a lobster trip. His green boat, Tigger, is easy to see once I get close to the pier. Still early in the morning, 6:30, but the docks were bustling with lobstermen. At 6:45, we pushed off to retrieve the lobsters. I have always loved going lobstering with my Uncle Jack every summer. The sounds of the seagulls, lobster boats, and then the every once and a-while sound of a right whale, taking a deep breath lets you smell all the great fishing smells of the day. Hoping for a good haul, lobsters too big or too small have to be thrown back to their homes while seagulls attempt to get their breakfast. That anticipation when going to the next trap, waiting to see what you will get next, is priceless. Sometimes we find a flounder or some cool shells that could have made their way into the trap. 

It has always been a tradition in my family to be lobsterman on Little Cranberry Island. My family has gone to the island for years before I was alive. Since I have been alive, lobstering has been the biggest thing I look forward to when we go to Maine. Because Maine is one of the greatest places for remarkable wildlife and kind people, I have also always cared about the environment in Maine.. Although there have been some problems with the ocean in Maine, the lobstering industry has been remade over the years forming a more direct and securer way for lobsters to reproduce. My uncle Jack has been on the Maine Lobstering Association (MLA) for many years. The association advocates for sustainable lobster resources for people who depend on lobsters. “Being a responsible lobsterman, preserving and conserving natural habitat can benefit generations of people and creatures for many years” (Jack Merrill). Jack has always fought to preserve and conserve the ocean and lobsters of Maine. The earnings people get from lobstering would disappear if people like my Uncle Jack did not help the problem of overfishing. 

Not only do lobsters and people benefit from their efforts, but Right whales are also benefitting from the preservation of lobster habitat. These whales have been dying due to boats and fishing gear. There are ways the Lobstering Association is fixing this problem still through the advancement of lobstering equipment and awareness. The lobster's fishing heritage is at risk along with the whales. Many other things can also be done to help with the conservation of these animals. 

Fishing with my uncle has helped me learn and care more about the preservation of the lobsters and the right whale's natural habitats, making me feel more connected to the lobstering community, and causing me to gain more respect for the animals. Taking action for the lobster's safety with my uncle has made me determined to keep this great tradition alive for my family and others in their unique home of Maine.