Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission nixes lobster gauge size increase

A lobsterman using a gauge to determine if a lobster is large enough to keep
A lobsterman using a gauge to determine if a lobster is large enough to keep | Photo courtesy of sursad/Shutterstock
4 Min

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has nixed a controversial regulatory plan that would have increased the minimum harvest size of Gulf of Maine lobster.

The proposed gauge size increase would have changed the minimum harvest size of lobster from 3.25 inches to 3.3125 inches, or 3 1/4 inches to 3 5/16 inches – an increase of 1/16 of an inch. The plan, which came under Amendment 27, has been delayed by the ASMFC Lobster Board multiple times, but was set to take effect in July 2024.

Recently the Maine Department of Marine Resources withdrew from the proposal to increase the gauge size, which would have put the largest lobster fishery in the U.S. out of compliance with the new regulation.

Now, the lobster board voted 7-1 with 3 abstentions on 4 February to repeal elements of Amendment 27 and eliminate the plan to increase the minimum size.

Jarod Bray, a board member of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association and a lobsterman based on Matinicus Island, Maine, said in an announcement on Facebook the MLA has opposed the gauge size increase from the beginning “Because we didn’t think it was the right solution to address our decline in landings.”

“Maine lobstermen have expressed their concerns, and the ASMFC heard them,” Bray said. “We appreciate them allowing us, the fishermen, to take control of the future of this fishery. Now that’s what we need to do.”

Bray said the ASMFC will take the issue up again at its fall meeting in October 2025, and between now and then lobstermen “need to continue to make their voices heard” and chart the next steps.

“We need to make sure this fishery remains profitable and sustainable, and it’s up to us to devise a plan to do so,” he said.

The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association also celebrated the decision as a victory for lobstermen.

“Raising catch sizes at this time would bankrupt many lobstermen and surrender the U.S. market to foreign competitors,” NEFSA COO Dustin Delano said. “NEFSA is grateful that the commission has chosen to support our historic trade, which contributes billions to New England’s economy and shapes the character of the region.” 

NEFSA said an increase in Maine’s lobster size requirement would have ceded business over to the Canadian fishery, which it said enjoys “a range of regulatory advantages” compared to the U.S. fishery. 

New Bedford, Massachusetts Mayor Jon Mitchell also wrote a letter to ASMFC Executive Director Robert Beal calling for the repeal of the gauge size increase.

“As Mayor of America’s top commercial fishing port, I write to urge the ASMFC to repeal Addendum XXVII concerning lobster gauge size,” Mitchell said. “The Commission instead should take more time to work with members of the industry to identify alternate approaches that could achieve the same sustainability goals without putting lobster fishermen at a competitive disadvantage to their Canadian counterparts or otherwise jeopardizing the viability of their businesses.”

While Massachusetts’ lobster fishery is smaller than Maine’s, it is still worth nearly USD 100 million (EUR 96 million) and is the state’s second-most-valuable fishery.

“Further limiting size of lobsters that U.S. fishermen can catch now would likely have negligible effect, since Canadian lobstermen are not subject to the ASMFC regulations and will be able to harvest lobsters that would be out of reach for our domestic fishermen,” Mitchell wrote. “Canadian-caught lobsters would still be sold in the U.S. market. The current proposal will put our fishermen at a massive competitive disadvantage and has the potential for changing the market share of our fishermen for generations to come.”  


SeafoodSource Premium

Become a Premium member to unlock the rest of this article.

Continue reading ›

Already a member? Log in ›

Subscribe

Want seafood news sent to your inbox?

You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street, Portland, ME 04101 | +1 207-842-5500
None