Young lobsters show decline off New England, and fishermen will see new rules as a result
Officials say surveys have detected that the population of young lobsters has declined nearly 40% in some of the most critical fishing waters off New England
PORTLAND, Maine — The population of young lobsters has declined nearly 40% in some of the most critical fishing waters off New England, officials said Wednesday, triggering new restrictions for the fishermen who harvest the valuable crustaceans.
Officials with the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said surveys have detected a 39% decline in young lobsters in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank areas for 2020-22 compared to 2016-18. The areas are among the most important lobster fishing grounds in the world.
The drop in lobster recruitment is a continuation of a recent trend off New England, said Caitlin Starks, senior fisheries management plan coordinator with the commission.
“I wouldn't say it's very surprising just given that we've seen a declining trend for a number of years now,” Starks said. “We're seeing decline in those recruits.”
The commission announced the drop in young lobsters just months after adopting new rules designed to better protect the creatures from overfishing. The new rules state that fishermen must adhere to stricter size limitations on the lobsters they can catch when the young lobsters show a decline of 35% or more.
The initial timeline in the new rules would have brought the stricter rules into play on June 1, 2024, but Commissioner Patrick Keliher of the Maine Department of Marine Resources successfully moved to delay implementation to Jan. 1, 2025. Keliher said the decline must be taken seriously, but the U.S. lobster fishery would have inequities with Canadian fishermen if they switched to new size requirements too
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