Maine tags its lobsters in marketing push

PORTLAND, Maine, July 31 (UPI) -- The state of Maine wants to make sure that buyers know they are getting Maine lobsters and not "impostor lobsters" from Canada or elsewhere.

The "Don't Buy Imposter Lobster" Maine Lobster Promotion Program started Monday with Gov. John Baldacci fixing the first "Certified Maine Lobster" tag.

"We hope every lobster caught in Maine waters will soon be wearing these new ID bracelets," the council's executive director, Kristen Millar, told the Boston Globe. "It's truth in advertising. All lobsters are called 'Maine lobsters' and yet they're not all from Maine. It has become this generic term, like Kleenex."

Maine lobster enthusiasts and state officials argue the crustaceans caught there taste sweeter and are caught in a sustainable manner.

One irony is that a lot of processed lobster with a Canadian label on it actually comes from Maine. The lobsters are caught south of the border and shipped to processing plants in the north, returning to the United States for sale.