[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 171 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING VIRGINIA OLIVER, MAINE'S OLDEST LOBSTER HARVESTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHELLIE PINGREE

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 2021

  Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Virginia Oliver, 
who at 101 years old is Maine's, and perhaps the world's, oldest 
lobster harvester.
  Known as Ginny to her friends, and affectionately called ``The 
Lobster Lady'' by us at home, Mrs. Oliver has been hauling traps off 
and on since the age of seven, a decade before World War II and at a 
time when few women were working on the water. When asked recently how 
much longer she'll continue lobstering, she shared that she has no 
plans to stop.
  Three long days a week, May through November, Mrs. Oliver and her son 
Max tend their traps off Rockland, working one of the most hazardous 
jobs in the country. She pilots the boat named after her, cleans and 
fills bait bags, and measures and bands lobsters.
  In Maine we take great pride in our strong work ethic, and Virginia 
Oliver, The Lobster Lady, is a bright example of why that pride is 
well-placed. I am honored to recognize this Mainer's contribution to 
our heritage lobster industry.

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