Lobster: American

Atlantic lobster, American Lobster, Maine Lobster

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is one of about 30 species of clawed lobsters worldwide, and one of just two species of lobster belonging to the genus Homarus. Notable for its particularly large claws, the species is distributed across the continental shelf from the Straight of Belle Isle, Newfoundland, and southern Labrador in the north, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in the south. Regionally, abundance is highest in the shoal waters off of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. Animals are found from the intertidal to ca. 700 m and are generally most abundant in shallow coastal areas. Lower density deep-water populations aggregate in areas with physical structure.

The American (Atlantic) lobster produces thousands of eggs each year, but is a comparatively long-lived, slow growing crustacean, reaching maturity at a moderate age of 5-8 years. Management measures ensure that lobster is not fished while it is moulting, and that small lobsters, and in some cases large females are returned to the ocean. Survival following trap capture is thought to be high.

In the mid 1990s, lobster from Canadian waters was considered overfished based on estimated levels of egg-per-recruit production. In the following years, lobster catches reached all time highs in some areas (Southwestern Nova Scotia) and decline to all time lows in others (Northumberland Strait). Generally, stock productivity has increased over time due at least in part to management efforts such as minimum size limits and the protection of egg bearing females. The reduction of predation pressure due to the collapse of groundfish stocks in the region is thought to be a causal factor in higher lobster abundances. By contrast, the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, especially in the Northumberland Strait, was noted as an area of concern. A multi-species survey in the Northumberland Strait revealed that between 2001 and 2005 there was a 75% decrease in the lobster abundance and that the lobster catches have decreased since the start of the survey in 1998. Whether the lobster fishery is vulnerable to a future stock collapse is a matter of continuing debate.

Lobster traps are comparatively selective gear types and, as a result of this selectivity, levels of bycatch are low. In the Canadian fishery, there is little bycatch monitoring. Cusk, a groundfish species has been found in lobster traps and is considered threatened under COSEWIC, but levels of bycatch of this species are much lower than in other grounfish fisheries. Concerns have been raised about North Atlantic Right Whale entanglement in lobster trap lines in the Gulf of Maine / Bay of Fundy area. In Canada management measures have been put in place to reduce chance of entanglement however, concerns remain in the lobster fishery on the US side of the Gulf of Maine.

Lobster traps are considered benign in terms of impacts on ocean bottom habitat, and the resilience of bottom habitat to these effects is considered moderate to high, depending on the specific substratum. At present there is no evidence that the fishing method or the removal of American lobsters have severe habitat or ecosystem effects.

The Atlantic Canadian lobster fishery has open and closed seasons, size limits and trap limits. The data for stock assessment and subsequent management measures is based mainly on fishery dependent data and includes comparatively few rigorous enforcement and monitoring measures. While there are numerous management measures in place regulating the landing of lobsters such as intensive monitoring of landings and effort levels, efforts to address overfishing and reduce the incidences of bycatch of threatened and rare species could improve.

No health advisory at this time

Yes. Lobster from Lobster Fishing Area 41 (LFA 41) was certified by the MSC on June 2nd, 2010.