American
lobster, Homarus americanus, are one of the most valuable
commercial fisheries along the Atlantic coast. The last fifteen
years have seen increases in lobster landings, rising from 62
million pounds in 1990 to 88 million pounds in 2005. Of this catch,
approximately 80 percent are caught in state waters, which extend
from zero to three miles from shore. The lobster fishery has seen
incredible expansion in effort and landings since the late 1940s
and early 1950s, when landings varied around 25 million pounds.
American
lobster are managed under Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for American Lobster, as well as Addenda
I through X to the Plan. Amendment 3 established a framework for
area management, which includes industry participation through
seven Lobster Conservation Management Teams, which are encouraged
to develop area-specific management programs to address the needs
of the area. Addendum X, approved in February 2007, establishes
new monitoring and reporting requirements for the fishery.
The 2005
peer-reviewed stock assessment report indicates the American lobster
resource presents a mixed picture, with stable stock abundance
throughout most of the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GBK),
low abundance and recruitment in Southern New England (SNE), and
decreased recruitment and abundance in Massachusetts Bay and Stellwagen
Bank (Area 514). Of particular concern is SNE, where depleted
stock abundance, low recruitment, and high fishing mortality rates
over the past few years have led the Peer Review Panel to call
for additional harvest restrictions. Based on these findings,
the Board has initiated the development of a stock rebuilding
schedule for the SNE stock.
State and
federal fisheries managers and lobstermen are continually working
on ways to ensure the continued health of this valuable resource.
The Commission is committed to ensuring effective and complementary
conservation and management measures both in state and federal
waters.<species
profile> <stock
status> <2006
stock assessment and peer review overview> <habitat
fact sheet> |
Upcoming
Meetings
3/19
(7:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Connecticut
Department of Environmental Protection, Marine Fisheries Office,
333 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, Connecticut. For more information, please
contact Eric
Smith at (860) 434-6043.
3/20
(7:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, New York Dept.
of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Marine Resources Headquarters,
205 North Belle Mead Road, Suite 1, East Setauket, New York. For
more information, please contact Steve
Heins at (631)
444-0433.
3/27
(9:30 AM - 2 PM):
ASMFC
American Lobster Advisory Panel, Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire
Street, Mansfield, Massachusetts.
3/31
(6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Maine Department
of Marine Resources, Rockland City Hall Council Chambers, Pleasant
Street, Rockland, Maine. For more information, please contact
Terry Stockwell
at (207) 624-6553.
4/1
(6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Maine Department
of Marine Resources, University of Maine, Machias Science Building,
9 O'Brien Avenue, Machias, Maine. For more information, please
contact Terry Stockwell
at (207) 624-6553.
4/1
(7:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, New
Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Urban Forestry Center, 45
Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For more information, please
contact Doug
Grout at (603) 868-1096.
4/2
(6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on
Draft Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries, Courtyard by Marriot, Rte. 44 Paramount
Dr. 37, Raynham, Massachusetts. For more information, please contact
Melanie
Griffin at (617) 626-1528.
4/3
(6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Rhode Island
Division of Fish and Wildlife, URI Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium,
South Ferry Road, Narragansett, Rhode Island. For more information,
please contact Tom
Angell at (401) 423-1931.
4/7
(6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries, Annisquam River Marine Fisheries
Station, Emerson Avenue,
Gloucester,Massachusetts. For more information, please contact
Melanie
Griffin at (617) 626-1528.
4/7
(6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Maine Department
of Marine Resources, Ellsworth City Hall, 1 City Hall Plaza, Ellsworth,
Maine. For more information, please contact Terry
Stockwell at (207) 624-6553.
4/8 (6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster and Draft
Addendum XIII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Massachusetts
Division of Marine Fisheries, Chatham
Community Center, 702 Main Street, Chatham,
Massachusetts. For more information, please contact Melanie
Griffin at (617) 626-1528.
4/8 (6:00 PM):
ASMFC Public
Hearing on Draft
Addendum XII for Public Comment to Amendment 3 to the Interstate
Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, Maine Department
of Marine Resources, Portland High School, Room 304, 284 Cumberland
Avenue, Portland, Maine. For more information, please contact
Terry Stockwell
at (207) 624-6553.
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