American
lobster, Homarus americanus, is one of the most valuable
commercial fisheries along the Atlantic coast. 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. The last two decades have seen dramatic increase in lobster
landings, rising from 57 million pounds in 1993 and peaking in
2006 at 93 million pounds. Landings decreased slightly in 2008
with preliminary harvest estimates of 85 million pounds. Of this
catch, approximately 90 percent are caught in state waters, which
extend from zero to three miles from shore.
American lobster
is managed under Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for American Lobster, as well as Addenda I through
XV 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.
The 2009 peer-reviewed
stock assessment report indicates the American lobster resource
presents a mixed picture, with record high abundance and recruitment
throughout most of the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GBK),
continued 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.
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
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