Plan for tougher lobster fishing rules delayed as species shows decline in babies

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Fisheries regulators are delaying a plan for stricter fishing rules amid concern about a decline in baby lobsters in warm New England waters.

Regulators are looking into it establish a new standard that fishermen must meet a higher minimum size for the lobsters they catch. The change is only 1/16th of an inch, or 1.6 millimeters, but regulators have said it will help preserve the population of the valuable crustaceans, since many small lobsters will have to be thrown into the ocean.

Some fishermen have argued that the change is unnecessary and will hurt one of the nation’s most lucrative fishing industries when it is already stressed by warming waters, rising costs and new rules to protect whales They have advocated that the new rules be delayed or scrapped.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has said the minimum size must be changed because of a recent decline of more than 35 percent in the juvenile lobster population in the Gulf of Maine, a key fishery drawer . But the commission voted Monday to push back implementation of the change from Jan. 1 to July 1, 2025.

Maine fishermen, who catch most of the nation’s lobster, remain opposed to the size increase, said Kevin Kelley, a spokesman for the Maine Lobster Association. However, the delay will help prevent U.S. fishermen from being at a competitive disadvantage with Canada, which also has a large lobster fishing industry, he said.

“We are hopeful that this will provide more time to address the unintended consequences of an increase, namely the fact that unless Canada also changes its gauge size, Canadian lobstermen will still be able to catch smaller lobsters,” he said. Kelley said.

The size change applies to the Gulf of Maine, where commission officials have said the actions decreased by 39% when comparing 2020-22 with 2016-18. Scientists have cited the warming of the Gulf of Maine as a potential stressor for lobsters.

The revelation about the decline in juvenile lobsters surprised many in the industry, and some fishermen have questioned the data. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat who represents coastal Maine in Congress and has advocated to block the new rules, called the data “outdated.”

The concern over the decline of the young lobster came at a time of relative prosperity for the lobster industry. The value of American lobster can fluctuate considerably from year to year and topped $900 million for the first time in 2021. Last year it remained well above $450 million, which still is a historically high number.

The decision to postpone the size requirements will protect the lobster population while addressing market concerns raised by industry members, said Patrick Keliher, who is chairman of the Atlantic States Lobster Board and commissioner of the Department of of Maine Navy. Resources

“My hope is that the benefits of the indicator change combined with the increase in young-of-the-year lobsters we are seeing in the settlement survey will result in a healthy and sustainable resource for future generations,” Keliher said.