Canada: Should the lobster carapace size be increased in southwestern Nova Scotia?

Published 2024년 4월 19일

Tridge summary

Lobster license holders in Atlantic Canada are grappling with the decision to adjust the minimum lobster carapace size to comply with new regulations by the Maine Department of Marine Resources, set to take effect in 2025. These regulations, aimed at conserving juvenile lobster populations in the Gulf of Maine, will incrementally increase the minimum size, eventually barring Canadian lobsters under 84 mm from the U.S. market. This decision is complicated by concerns over sustainability, economic impacts, and the potential reduction in lobster landings, particularly in LFA 34 in southwestern Nova Scotia. The Lobster Council of Canada is facilitating discussions among stakeholders to navigate these changes, with a district-wide vote among LFA 34 license holders pending. The situation underscores the importance of adapting to regulatory changes to ensure the long-term viability of the lobster industry, amidst uncertainties regarding the impact on lobster populations and the commercial fishery.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Lobster licence holders in Atlantic Canada’s Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) have a lot to consider when it comes to whether or not they follow suit with their American counterparts and increase the minimum lobster carapace size effective Jan. 1, 2025. Last fall, Maine Department of Marine Resources commissioner Patrick Keliher announced the lobster carapace size would be increasing in Lobster Conservation Management Area 1, which extends from the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border and follows the outer boundary of the territorial waters of New Hampshire and Maine to the U.S./Canada border. The first increase on Jan. 1, 2025, will see the minimum carapace size increase by 1/16th of an inch to a size of 3 5/16th of an inch, or from 82.5 mm to 84 mm. A second increase scheduled for Jan. 1, 2027, will see the minimum carapace size increase by another 1/16th, or by two more millimetres to 86 mm. The reason is a decline in juvenile lobster in Gulf of Maine surveys. The size increase was ...

Source: Saltwire