Maine Republican state legislators on Tuesday afternoon said they have introduced a bill that would strip tax benefits for businesses such as Whole Foods Market that boycott Maine lobster over third-party assessments of the fishery's environmental sustainability, according to the Portland Press Herald.

US retailer Whole Foods said last month it will halt purchasing of Maine lobster until the popular shellfish regains its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification or is removed from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch red list.