Lettie Elise breezing along at the Pemaquid lobster boat races. Lettie Elise was not in first place, but made for a first class visual highlight to a great day at the races. It was the 31st year that lobster boat races have been held at Pemaquid. Pemaquid is home to one of the earliest trading settlements in Maine (1630) and the nation. Fishermen’s Voice photo
Lobster Dilemma
Industry wary of trap reductions to boost resource
by Laurie Schreiber
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—With record low abundance of the Southern New England lobster stock and concern that the stock is experiencing recruitment failure, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) considered measures to increase egg production by 5%, using a suite of measures that includes reducing the number of traps in the water, gauge size changes, and season closures.
But at its August meeting, the ASMFC decided to postpone Addendum XXV to its interstate lobster management plan; Addendum XXV would have implemented such measures by January 2018.
Numerous speakers said additional restrictions would jeopardize the fishery in Southern New England. Some said they supported the idea of achieving a 5 percent egg production increase, but advocated for a flexible plan and a focus on the causes of stock declines. Major causes cited were warming ocean temperatures, water quality, and increases in sea bass and other predators that feed on baby lobsters.
Others said they supported the reduction of latent effort, but not additional restrictions on active license-holders.
According to the draft addendum, the Southern New England fishery is carried out by fishermen from the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, with smaller contributions from the states of Delaware,
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