The document provides information on the history, economic value, stock status, environmental impacts, stakeholders, and current management of the American lobster fishery. It discusses how lobsters were once used as fertilizer but became a culinary prize, the development of trap fishing, and the history of management from the 1940s onward. Stock status varies by region, with Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks increasing but Southern New England critically depleted. The fishery generates hundreds of millions annually for New England. Current management divides the fishery into areas and stocks and regulates effort and catch through limits. Recommendations focus on improving conditions for the Southern New England stock and considering ecosystem and spatial issues.
3. History
From Fertilizer to a Culinary Prize
Lobsters were so plentiful in colonial times that they were fed to
prisoners and indentured servants.
Trap fishing was developed in the 1850’s
Able to provide for the lobster market demand.
However, catch rates and lobster size began to decrease.
States began to regulate and manage the fisheries.
4. Management History
In 1942, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
(ASMFC) formed to facilitate management between the state
and national fisheries’ regulation.
In 1997, Amendment 3 of the ASMFC Lobster Plan transferred control of the
United States’ economic zone from the Magnuson-Stevens Act to the Atlantic
Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act.
In 2012, actions were taken to try to rebuild the Southern New England (SNE)
lobster stock through reductions of effort in gear and seasonal fishing time
and V-notching the berried females.
5. Stock Status – Overall
“Bust”
From 1920-1943 there was a drop in lobster
landings and then a constant level of low
landings.
Increased landings continued for the next 40
years, but there was still an overfishing
concern.
“Boom”
In the 1990’s, there was a large increase in
landings which has continued since.
6. Stock Status – Gulf of Maine & Georges
Bank
The Gulf of Maine and Georges
Bank stocks have continued to
increase in population size.
They have recently had record high
rates of abundance, survival and
reproduction.
7. Stock Status – Southern New England
Considered to be critically depleted but not
overfished
Decreased number of reproductive adults
caused a decrease in recruitment numbers
Disease
Emigration to cooler waters due to an
increase in water temperatures
8. Economic Value
2003 to 2012
the average value of the lobster landings was the highest of all species in New England
$367 million
2011
landings = 126.2 million pounds $423.3 million
2012
landings = 150 million pounds $429 million
ME landings = 127 million pounds
2013
ME landings = 126 million increased in value by $22 million
10. Environmental Impact
Trawls
Trawls dig up the ocean floor and
damage lobsters’ shelter.
Lobster Traps
Damages sea grasses and kelp
beds when dragged out of the
water.
11. Lobsters as Bycatch
Lobsters caught in trawls.
Lobsters are scooped into the
trawl, which is dragged along the
ocean floor.
Lobsters stuck in ghost traps.
Equipment is lost or abandoned
and lobsters are trapped inside.
12. Bycatch of Lobster Traps
Bycatch in lobster traps
Non-target species get caught in
the trap the same way lobsters do.
Animals
Large charismatic megafauna gets
trapped in the lines connecting the
traps to the buoy.
14. Co-Management
Established in 1995 by the passage of the Zone
Management Law
Characteristics: Decentralized Decision Making,
Partnerships and Power sharing, Allocation of
Duties
Collective Incentives: Protecting investments
& local communities
15. How Do Factional Interests Influence
Policy?
Trap Limits and Barriers to Entry:
Big vs. Small Fisherman
Full Time vs. Part Time
Age
16. How Do Factional Interests Influence
Policy?
Beliefs on Status of the Fishery
Family Businesses
“Lobster Farming”
18. Division into 3 Stocks
Gulf of Maine
Nearshore Fisheries
George’s Bank
Offshore Fisheries
Southern New England
Nearshore Fisheries
19. 7 Management Areas
1. Nearshore waters in GOM
2. Nearshore waters in SNE
Area 2/3 Overlap
4. Nearshore waters in N. Mid-
Atlantic
5. Nearshore waters in S. Mid-
Atlantic
6. Nearshore N.Y. and CT State
waters
Outer Cape Cod Area
20. Management Area Regulations
Effort control
Trap limits based on fishing history and
management area
Limits on:
Trap number and size
Lobster number and size
No egg bearing or v-notched lobsters
No lobster meat or parts
21. Cooperative Management
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission (ASMFC)
Implemented a Limited Access
Privilege Program (LAPP)
National Oceanic Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
22. Recreational Fishing
Permits not required
Does not include:
Charter boats
Head boats
May keep up to 6 lobsters per person per
day
Can’t be sold, bartered or traded
23. Bycatch Management
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA)
Atlantic Large Whale Take
Reduction Plan
Sinking ground lines between
traps
Decrease amount of line in
water column
Decrease potential for whale
entanglement
25. What is Working?
2009 ASMFC American Lobster
Assessment
GOM, GBK
LAPP programs with restrictions on
effort
26. What is Not?
SNE stock considered critically
depleted
Peaked in 1990’s; declined 70% since
Pollution + Higher temperatures (>68°) =
disease, low levels of dissolved oxygen
Recruitment failure and decrease in
settlement
Migration to cooler waters
Small black dot indicates the beginning of disease
27. Management Objectives
Biological: Use science-based policy and reasoning for management,
with scope as wide or small as necessary
Economic: Maximize fishery efficiency and economic rent for lobster
fishers, and to do so using or improving information available to fishers
Social: Continue promotion of fishery management practices, that
support communities and fishers, both short and long-term
Political: Keep in mind delicate political histories and potential conflicts
in regards to recommendations
28. Proposed Changes: Response to Climate
Change
Give SNE stock a healthy environment to rebound
Eliminate use of Methoprene and Resmethrin in NY
Report similar to Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s project on
climate change effects on lobster
Find new population norm for SNE, if exists
More information = more resilient communities and businesses
Do for GBK, too
29. Proposed Changes: Allocation Among
Stakeholders
Continue Limited Access Privilege
Programs in all management areas
Future political conflicts may occur if SNE
stock’s population does not fully rebound
Determine quotas by historical numbers
30. Proposed Changes: Spatial and Temporal
Scales
Increase allowable catch size in GOM and
GBK to 3.5 inches, from 3.25
Allow more lobsters to go through a cycle of
reproduction
Maximum length set at 5 inches in places
where there is none
Moratorium on fishing in SNE for 3 years
Include recreational fishers
31. Proposed Changes: Ecosystem
Considerations
Trawling for scallops, sea urchins, and
mussels
Young lobsters need cobble bed habitats (2-10% of
coastline)
ASMFC: regulate lobster habitat-destroying gear
Fine trawlers for each offense: $1,000, $5,000, then
$10,000+
Hypoxic areas
Reduce pesticide use & improve sewer systems
32. Proposed Changes: Effects on Other
Species
Herring are often used as bait
More groundfish (cod) = lobsters hide more,
forage less, are eaten more; groundfish-
dominated system vs. lobster-dominated
33. Proposed Changes:
Evaluation/Adaptation
Continue Lobster Conservation Management Team weekly reports
ASMFC Stock Assessments
NOAA website gives weekly market prices for Boston and NYC markets
Investigate possibility of using economic rent
Economic rent works for cases of scarcity or exclusivity
Will involve more studies, and therefore $$$
