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Article: Lobster boat builders pinched as catch drops, economy slows
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- May 8, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. (Hide copyright information)
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For the first time in 24 years of building lobster boats, Wayne Beal doesn't have any job orders.
He has a 42-footer under construction at his boatyard _ but he's building it for himself, so he can give up boat building and go lobster fishing instead.
In Maine, where lobster is king, Beal and other lobster boat builders are braving tough times. With the lobster catch down and fishermen feeling an economic squeeze, boat sales have hit the skids.
So even with the uncertainties facing lobster fishermen, Beal believes he's better off doing that than sitting around and hoping for more boat orders to come in.
"There's not a lot of guys making the move to take on a new ...