Opinion: The ITC Must Stop Overlooking Maine’s Working Coast

By Braeden Webber

When you think of Maine, you think of lobsters. Maine’s working coast consists of lobster boats heading out at dawn and fishing families passing traditions down through generations. However, it’s more than scenery, it’s the state’s economy and way of life that supports thousands of jobs and contributes millions to the state. In fact, Maine’s seafood industry contributed more than $3.2 billion to the state economy in 2019, supporting over 33,000 jobs across harvesting, processing, and retail seafood.

Yet today, that way of life is under pressure. Decisions and recommendations coming from the International Trade Commission (ITC) shape the competitive landscape in ways that threaten the stability of Maine’s fishing communities. These pressures, in addition to long-standing regulatory and economic challenges, put real Maine livelihoods at risk.

Last week, Maine harvesters stood before federal officials in Washington to urge fair treatment in managing the “Gray Zone”, a 277 square mile stretch of ocean between Maine and Canada. They testified that despite following regulations, Maine fishermen are placed at a disadvantage when their Canadian counterparts operate under different rules and enforcements. Representative Jared Golden (D-ME) echoed their concerns, pointing out that Maine’s seafood harvesters are not asking for special treatment, but rather equal competition.

This isn’t about overturning sound conservation measures, it’s about recognizing that the systems structuring international competition must account for real economic and ecological imbalances rather than leaving those who abide by stricter rules to compete on an uneven playing field. When American fishermen follow rigorous gear standards and conservation requirements, only to face inconsistent enforcement or looser standards in Canada, Maine’s coastal communities pay the price.

At the center of this issue is the International Trade Commission. While the ITC was designed to protect American industries, its decisions have increasingly produced unintended consequences for Maine’s fishing economy. The Commission must modernize its approach and better account for the livelihoods of the harvesters that its rulings directly affect.

Unfortunately, the ITC’s challenges extend far beyond the working waterfront of Maine. This isn’t the only way the agency is failing its mission to protect American industry. In recent years, the ITC has also become one of the most accommodating outlets for foreign companies to attack American businesses.

The ITC also has some authority to decide patent disputes. And under Section 337 of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, the ITC can block imported goods it believes infringe patents. But foreign patent trolls, usually with no real ties to American workers, production, or jobs, have used the ITC to file baseless claims designed to pressure American companies into costly settlements. That practice doesn’t protect American industry; it weakens it.

This pattern, whether in the seafood industry or advanced manufacturing, highlights the same issue: the ITC is not consistently prioritizing the economic well-being of American communities. Maine’s fishing families know this firsthand, but so do American businesses across the country harmed by opportunistic foreign actors exploiting the ITC’s structure.

Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have long understood how vital fair competition is to Maine’s economy – from the working waterfront to our manufacturers, innovators, and small businesses. Strengthening oversight of the ITC and advancing reforms such as the Advancing America’s Interest Act (AAIA) would help ensure the ITC once again prioritizes real American industries and the workers who depend on them. These reforms would require the ITC to consider actual American economic interests when making rulings, preventing the misuse of trade tools at the expense of American jobs.

Maine’s fishermen are proud stewards of the ocean, but stewardship and survival depend on fair rules and equitable regulation. The Gray Zone isn’t an abstract legal concept; it’s a stretch of ocean where Maine families work every day to sustain both livelihoods and traditions. The ITC has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to modernize how it listens, evaluates impacts, and protects American workers.

Reforming the ITC would not only strengthen the integrity of the Commission, but also help ensure that American workers – whether on factory floors or on fishing boats – receive fair competition and a voice in the decisions that shape their future. That’s why I urge Senators Collins and King to support the Advancing America’s Interest Act (AAIA) and stop foreign actors from taking advantage of hard working Mainers.