The Maine Lobster Fishery

Overview

• Biology of the Lobster

• History of the Fishery

• Modernization of the Fishery

• Conflicts and Compromises

• Solutions

Biology of the Lobster

• Diet

• Range/Distribution

• Life History/Reproduction

• Questions– Number of Lobsters– Migration

Biology of the Lobster

• Figure 1: Anatomy of a Lobster

– from www.lobster.org

History of the Lobster Fishery

• Early Fishing part-time, subsistence based

• First increases in Mid 1800’s– Canning of lobsters– Better transportation

• Led to first conservation laws in 1874– essentially unchanged for next 75 years

Rise of Modern Lobster Fishery

• Improved technology in the 1940’s and 1950’s led to larger catches

• Population crash in early 1970’s led to modern conservation laws– minimum size limits– limited entry– limited number of traps per fisherman– no capture of reproducing females

Conflict with Regulators

• Fishermen believe they know lobsters better than scientists

• Scientists believe that size limits are primary reason for return of fishery

• Schism between western Maine and “Downeasters” over limited entry

Conflict with Regulators

• “There are no jobs for young people around here. Anyone who was born Down East and wants to stay here should be able to go into lobstering, the way I did, but limited entry would make that impossible. A license could be worth $100,000 or more. Add that on top of what it already costs to start out and no youngster could break in unless he was rich or worked for one of the big corporations that inevitably would take over” (Doherty, 1997)

Conflict with Regulators

• Regulations are often excepted by fishermen and subsequently ignored

• Enforcement is a problem and the likelihood of being caught is slim

• Frequent and violent disputes not uncommon

Conflict with Other Fishermen

• Trawlers and dredgers for scallops and flounder damage lobster gear and lobster habitats

• Maine fishermen feel these boats should be barred entry to lobstering waters

• Strange union between scientists and lobstermen on this point

Solutions

• Enforcement

• Aquaculture

• Biological Research

Enforcement

• Prohibitive penalties

• Chemical testing

• Complete restriction of coastal trawling

Aquaculture

• Impossible to develop full-grown lobsters in tanks

• Raising and release of juveniles viable practice

Better Understanding of Biology

• “Robolobster” produces better understanding of lobster habitats and therefore better placement of traps

• Population research must continue