American Lobster

American lobster is one the most commercially and culturally significant fisheries in the US with annual landings being valued at over US $500 million (in 2014). The majority of landings occur in Maine and in Massachusetts respectively – with the two states accounting for 94 percent of the total US catch. There are three main stocks of American lobster in the US: the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England stocks. Of these three stocks, the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England stocks are primarily inshore fisheries and the Georges Bank stock is primarily an offshore fishery. Roughly 94 percent of coastal, inshore landings occur in the Gulf of Maine.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and NOAA Fisheries cooperatively manage the US American lobster fishery under the framework of the ASFMC. The ASMFC is a regulatory body made up of the 15 coastal Atlantic states and is responsible for managing the American lobster fishery in state waters (up to three miles offshore) under the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. NOAA Fisheries implements complementary regulations for US offshore waters (three to 200 miles from shore) under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. US Management of American lobster is divided between the three aforementioned stock areas as well as seven specific management areas. Of the seven management areas, six of the seven are made up of both state and federal waters whereas only one area is entirely within state jurisdiction. Each management area has a Lobster Conservation Management Team made up of industry representatives that recommend measures to address the specific needs within their management area. These recommendations are then brought to the ASFMC Lobster Management Board that is made of up three representatives for each lobster harvesting state and one representative from NOAA Fisheries. The Management Board deliberates and ultimately votes on management measures for the American lobster fishery (each state has one vote as does NOAA). 

While each management area has specific regulations, management measures between the areas are often similar and generally include:

• Size limits (both minimum and maximum size);
• Trap limits;
• Measures to protect egg-bearing females – fishers cannot harvest them and if caught, must notch their tail fin into a “V” shape before returning it to the water. This ensures future fishers will release the lobster, even when the female lobster is not bearing eggs;
• Requirements that lobsters be landed live and brought to port whole;
• Gear restrictions including trap configurations and escape panels (to prevent ghost fishing and reduce bycatch of undersized lobsters); and,
• Monitoring and reporting requirements. 

According to a 2015 stock assessment conducted by the ASMFC there is currently a record high stock abundance and recruitment in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks. These two stocks are relatively well managed and are not considered to be overfished. However, the Southern New England stock has been in decline since the 1990’s and is currently at record low abundance and recruitment due to both environmental factors as well as fishing pressure. To address the decline, the Lobster Management Board has approved a suite of measures to allow the Southern New England stock to rebuild. These measures include a trap reduction program, closed seasons for particular areas, and a trap consolidation/transfer program.

Additionally, U.S. lobster fishers must follow measures outlined in the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to avoid entangling whales in their trap/pot gear. These measures require that lobster fishers haul their active traps at least once every 30 days, use sinking ground lines between traps to reduce the amount of line in the water column, as well as restrictions on where and how gear can be set. 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada manages the American lobster fishery in Canada. American lobster is one of Canada’s most valuable seafood exports with the majority (78 percent) being exported to the United States. There are 45 lobster fisheries (or “lobster fishing areas”) in Canada – with 43 being inshore, one offshore, and one closed for conservation measures. About 10,000 licensed harvesters take part in the 45 fisheries. Among management measures, the DFO establishes for the inshore lobster fishery include:

• Limits on the number of licenses issued and limits on the number of traps that can be used;
• Establishing fishing seasons (fishing is generally prohibited between July and September to protect Summer molts);
• Measures to protect egg-bearing females – fishers cannot harvest them and if caught, must notch their tail fin into a “V” shape before returning it to the water. This ensures future fishers will release the lobster, even when the female lobster is not bearing eggs;
• Minimum and maximum size limits; and, 
• Gear restrictions and trap designs to allow undersized lobsters to escape as well as biodegradable escape panels to prevent ghost fishing in case a trap is lost at sea.

The offshore lobster fishery also establishes a total allowable catch limit for that particular lobster fishing area that is currently set at 720 tons annually.

Additionally, management measures have been implemented to reduce interactions with large marine fauna, such as North Atlantic right whales and minke whales. These include:   

• Seasonal restrictions to minimize the overlap between fishing seasons and whale migrations;
• Trap and license limits;  
• Time limits on how long a trap can be left unattended (72 hours); and,
• Mandatory reporting of any Endangered, Threatened, or Protected (ETP) species.

In 2018, DFO implemented extensive static and dynamic closures. An extensive static closure of almost 6500 square kilometers (2510 square miles) in size occurred in the Gulf of St Lawrence in 2018 and lasted the entire fishing season. A dynamic closure occurs when a North Atlantic right whale is identified, and an area closure is then implemented around the whale. During closures fishers must remove non-tended fixed gear from the closed area. Other management measures include limits on the amount of rope floating at the water surface and mandatory lost gear reporting. As of December 2018, it is unclear as to whether or not these two measures have been implemented.