American Lobster (Homarus americanus)
American Lobster
Implementing regulations are found at 50 CFR Part 697 Subpart A & B
The American Lobster fishery occurs from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. There are seven Lobster Conservation Management Areas (Areas), which are labeled as Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, Area 4, Area 5, Area 6, and Outer Cape Cod Area. The American lobster resource and fishery are cooperatively managed by the states and the National Marine Fisheries Service under the framework of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission).
Federal regulations for American lobster can be found in the electronic code for Federal Regulations, under Title 50, Parts 697.1 through 697.27. General summary information on these Federal lobster regulations can be found below, but individuals are urged to view the regulatory text in the electronic code for specifics. To the extent that the general summary information differs from the electronic code of Federal regulations, the electronic code supersedes the information found in this general summary.
General Fisheries Information Sheets
- Gear Stowage Requirements
- Letters of Authorization
- Small Mesh Fishery Exemptions
- Large Mesh Fishery Exemptions
American Lobster
Current Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR)
Trap Transfer Program
REMINDER: The deadline to submit Trap Transfer applications is September 30, 2016. Please remember to mail or fax all necessary paperwork by this date if you wish to transfer trap allocation this year.
- 2016 Program Resources
- 2016 Lobster Trap Transfer Program Public Informational Workshop
Fishery Information
What are other common names for American lobster?
- Lobster, chicks, bugs
What is the temporal extent of the fishery?
- The Federal lobster fishing year takes place from May 1 through April 30
What is the geographic extent of the fishery?
- There are seven Lobster Management Areas (Areas) from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The Areas are labeled as Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, Area 4, Area 5, Area 6, and Outer Cape Cod Area (see Figure 1). Area 6 is completely within state waters; therefore, NMFS has no jurisdiction there. Implementing regulations for these Areas are listed under 50 CFR Part 697. Each area and their coordinates are available in a series of fishery charts for the American Lobster Fishery on the GARFO Geographic Information Systems webpage.
- There are three American lobster stock areas: Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England, see Figure 1.
Figure 1: Map of the seven Lobster Management Areas
At what depths are American lobsters found?
- American lobsters are caught at depths of 15 feet (4.6 meters) to 1,000 feet (304.8 meters). Although lobsters are more prevalent in coastal waters, they are also caught offshore as far as 190 miles from the coastline.
Are other species caught when fishing for lobsters?
- Yes, the lobster fishery has some bycatch, or non-targeted species caught incidentally; these can include finfish species as well as invertebrate species.
- Large whales can also become entangled in the buoy lines of the trap trawl gear. Therefore, regulations to minimize the impacts to these protected species are in place under the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.
What gear types are authorized and what gears are primarily used?
- Lobsters are primarily caught using lobster pots/traps
- Lobster can also be targeted using non-trap gear
- Non-trap gear typically includes trawl and gillnet. Lobsters are also taken by hand using scuba gear, using a lobster recreational permit.
- Spearing of lobsters is prohibited
Management Information
Who manages this fishery?
- American lobster is managed under a dual regulatory framework whereby individual states manage the resource within their state waters (0-3 nautical miles from the shoreline) and the Federal government manages the resource in the Exclusive Economic Zone (3-200 nautical miles from the shoreline). The states and Federal government coordinate this management through the Commission’s Lobster Board. The Lobster Board is the Commission committee responsible for developing a management plan for lobster (known as the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, or Lobster Plan). The states enact these Lobster Plan’s recommended measures in state waters according to their state regulatory authorities, and NMFS enacts these recommended measures in the EEZ under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act), which is the Federal law that gives NMFS authority to enact lobster regulations.
- Typically, Federal lobster regulations begin with the Commission Lobster Board process. Under that process, the Lobster Board charges its Plan Development Team or Plan Review Team – two Board sub-committees - to investigate whether the Lobster Plan needs to be amended. If these teams believe that further management is needed, the Lobster Board will then charge its Lobster Conservation Management Teams (Industry Team) to develop the needed measures. The Industry Teams are comprised of industry representatives appointed by the states. Each of the seven lobster management areas has an Industry Team. The Industry Team will next meet, develop and approve recommended measures. The Industry Team will then report those measures back to the Lobster Board. The Board then seeks specialized comment from additional sub-committees, such as the Law Enforcement Committee, or the scientific Technical Committee, or the industry oriented Advisory Panel. After reviewing the sub-committee advice, the Board then votes on the suggested management measures. The states – each with three representatives on their Lobster Board delegation- get one vote each. NMFS also gets a singular vote. Measures approved by the Board are then recommended to the states and NMFS to implement.
How is the fishery managed?
- The American lobster resource and fishery are cooperatively managed by the states and the National Marine Fisheries Service under the framework of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission).
Timeline
1997 – Amendment 3 to the Commission Lobster Plan is implemented. Amendment 3 establishes the regulatory mechanism for the transfer of Federal management authority from Magnuson-Stevens Act to Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). NMFS implemented compatible regulations on December 6, 1999.
1999 – Commercial landings reach historic high of 89 million pounds (40,369 metric tons). The Commission passed Addendum I, which limited access to Areas 3, 4 and 5 to those permit holders who could document fishing history in those areas. NMFS implemented its limited access program in Areas 3, 4, and 5 on March 27, 2003.
2002 – EEZ Nearshore Management Area 5 Trap Waiver for black sea bass fishers was put in place because the pots used for black sea bass are capable of catching lobster. Since Area 5 does not have a large lobster population, NMFS provided a regulatory exemption to allow black sea bass fishers to retain, land and sell a minor allowance of lobster equal to the non-trap harvest restrictions (§697.26), while fishing for black sea bass with traps in Area 5.
2007 – Addendum X established new monitoring and reporting requirements for the lobster fishery, and these reporting requirements were implemented by NMFS in 2009.
2007 – Federal regulations for Area 3 off Southern New England amended to be consistent with recommendations from the Commission; new conservation measures include gauge size increases, an escape vent size increase, and trap reductions.
2009 - Addendum XII established consistent management measures for a trap transferability program in Areas 2, 3, and the Outer Cape Cod.
2009 – New management measures are implemented including changes to the lobster maximum carapace (shell) length restrictions, a requirement for all Federal lobster dealers to submit weekly electronic reports for all lobsters purchased from vessel owners with Federal permits and a change to the v-notch definition applicable to several Areas. V-notching is indenting the tail fin of egg-bearing females in a “v” shape before returning it to the water, to mark it as broodstock and protect it from harvest and improve egg production.
2009 – Commission approves Addendum XV, which establishes a Limited Access Program in Area 1.
Spring 2010 – NMFS published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement which addressed effort control and trap transferability in Areas 2, 3, and the Outer Cape Cod. The Commission Lobster Technical Committee released a report indicating that the Southern New England lobster stock was experiencing recruitment failure and recommended a 5 year moratorium on the fishery. The Commission evaluated that recommendation along with several exploitation reduction scenarios.
2012 - NMFS published a final rule on June 1, 2012, to implement a Limited Access Program in the Area 1 lobster trap fishery as required by the Commission in Addendum XV to the Lobster Plan.
2012 – The Commission adopted Addendum XVII on February 7, 2012, which focuses on the rebuilding the Southern New England lobster stock. Addendum XVII proposes to rebuild the stock by reducing fishing effort in the stock area by 10% through: (1) mandatory v-notching of all egg-bearing females in Areas 2, 4, and 5; (2) closed seasons in Areas 4, 5, and 6; and (3) minimum gauge size of 3- 17/32 inches in Area 3.
2012 – The Commission approved Addendum XVIII in August 2012. This Addendum is the first phase of the plans to rebuild the Southern New England lobster stock, by implementing management measures to reduce the level of fishing effort in Areas 2 and 3. This effort reduction will be done through a 25% trap reduction in Area 3 and a 50% trap reduction in Area 2.
2013 – The Commission approved Addendum XIX on February 19, 2013. This Addendum will implement a 10% transfer tax on both full and partial trap transfers in Area 3 when the Individual Transferable Trap Program is implemented.
2013 – The Commission approved Draft Addendum XX for public comment on February 19, 2013. This Addendum establishes an agreement between the offshore lobster permit holders and the groundfish sector vessels to reduce incidences of gear conflict in the proposed opening of Closed Area II, to take place in Framework 48 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. The purpose of this agreement is also to avoid potential damage to egg-bearing female lobsters by mobile gear trawling on the ocean bottom during the spawning season.
2013 - The Commission approved Addendum XII in August 2013. This Addendum changes the transferability program for Areas 2 and 3. These changes are designed to allow for flexibility in the movement of traps as the consolidation program for Areas 2 and 3 to address latent effort (unfished allocation) are implemented.
2013 – The Commission approved Addendum XXII in October 2013. This Addendum changes the single and aggregate ownership limits for Area 3. These changes are designed to allow for flexibility in the movement of traps as the consolidation program for LCMA 3 to address latent effort (unfished allocation).
2014 – NMFS published a final rule on April 7, 2014, to implement Limited Access programs in Area 2 and the Outer Cape Area. This final rule also implemented a Trap Transfer Program for Area 2, Area 3, and Outer Cape Area permit holders.
2014 – The Commission approved Addendum XXIII in August 2014. This Addendum focuses on habitat components that play a vital role in the reproduction, growth, and the sustainability of commercial and recreational fisheries by providing shelter, feeding, spawning and nursery grounds for lobsters to survive. While the Addendum does not implement any changes to the lobster management program, it is intended to advance our understanding of the habitat needs and requirements of American lobster and provides the most current information to inform management decisions.
2015 – NMFS published a final rule on January 15, 2015, to implement trap reductions in Areas 2 and 3. This final rule also contained several broodstock protection measures, including seasonal closures, mandatory v-notching, and a revised minimum size for Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5.
2015 – The Commission approved Addendum XXIV in May 2015. This Addendum aligns the requirements of the trap transferability program approved for Areas 2, 3, and OCC with recently approved Federal regulations.
2015 - NMFS published a final rule on November 10, 2015, changing the timing of the Area 4 seasonal closure from February 1–March 31 to April 30–May 31. This action ensures that Federal regulations remain consistent with state measures and the Commission’s overall Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster.
Information on the various addenda approved by the Commission can be found on the Commission website.
Market and Landings Information
What are the primary markets for the American lobster fishery?
- Domestic and exported live and frozen processed products.
What are the current landings and value of the fishery?
- In 2015 landings were over 146 million pounds (66,245 metric tons) with a value of $617.8 million.
- The most recent Biological Opinion (August 3, 2012) discusses how the American lobster industry in the Northeast U.S. is one of the most valuable commercial fisheries.
What are the top lobster landing ports?
- Maine remains the largest lobster landing state, with Massachusetts ranking second. The top five Maine landing ports for 2015 are: Stonington, ME; Vinalhaven, ME; Beals, ME; Friendship, ME; and Spruce Head, ME respectively (See Table 1).
Table 1: Maine’s Five Top Lobster Landing Ports
|
Port |
Live Pounds |
Ex-Vessel Value* |
|
Stonington |
16,204,176 |
$62,170,962 |
|
Vinalhaven |
9,596,249 |
$39,255,844 |
|
Beals |
5,454,491 |
$19,990,084 |
|
Friendship |
4,766,066 |
$21,243,370 |
|
Spruce Head |
4,325,882 |
$16,362,644 |
Data Source: Department of Marine Resources, October 13, 2016.
Overfishing Definition / Status Determination Criteria
Abundance and exploitation reference points are used in the stock assessment. Reference Abundance refers to the number of lobsters in a given year with a carapace length greater than or equal to 78mm (3.07 inches) added to the number of lobsters that will molt and recruit to a carapace length greater than or equal to 78mm (3.07 inches) over the course of that year. Effective exploitation is the total annual catch divided by the reference abundance. A stock is considered depleted if the abundance is less than the 25th percentile relative to the reference period. Overfishing is occurring if exploitation is greater than the 75th percentile.
The Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks are not depleted and overfishing is not occurring. However, the Southern New England stock is far below the estimated reference abundance threshold (25th percentile) and below the exploitation threshold (75th percentile). As a result, the Southern New England stock is severely depleted, even though overfishing is not occurring.
Status of Stock
Depleted? Yes (Southern New England); No (Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank)
Overfishing Occurring? No (Southern New England, Gulf of Maine, and Georges Bank)
Rebuilding Plan
Given the critically depleted condition of the SNE stock, the American Lobster Board approved Addenda XVII - XXII, which implement a suite of measures to reduce exploitation and allow the SNE stock to rebuild. These measures include a v-notching program, trap reductions, closed seasons for certain areas, and a trap consolidation/transferability program; with a desired goal of reducing fishing exploitation on the Southern New England stock by 10%. Following the stock assessment in August 2015, the Lobster Board established a working group of Board and Technical Committee members to develop further recommendations for Board consideration.
Biomass/Biomass Target: N/A
Fishing Mortality Rate: N/A
FMSY: N/A
Target Biomass (BMSY or proxy): N/A
Table 2: 2009 Lobster Stock Assessment Results, by Stock Area
|
Variable |
GOM |
GBK |
GOM/GBK |
SNE |
|
Effective Exploitation |
||||
|
Effective exploitation threshold |
0.54 |
1.83 |
0.5 |
0.41 |
|
Recent effective exploitation 2011-2013 |
0.48 |
1.54 |
0.48 |
0.27 |
|
Effective exploitation below threshold? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Reference Abundance (millions of lobsters) |
||||
|
Abundance threshold |
52 |
0.8 |
66 |
24 |
|
Recent abundance 2011-2013 |
247 |
1.57 |
248 |
10 |
|
Abundance above threshold? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Note: This information is based on the most recent Lobster Stock Assessment (August, 2015).
GOM=Gulf of Maine; GBK=Georges Bank; SNE=Southern New England
Other stock status information
Three Stocks - Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England - support both inshore and offshore fisheries. The 2015 assessment recommended that the GOM and GBK biological stocks be combined into a single stock, based on evidence in the data. The Gulf of Maine lobster stock has shown a dramatic increase in abundance over the past 20-25 years, with exploitation remaining safely below the threshold. The Georges Bank stock has shown similar if not so dramatic patterns to GOM, so it is also considered healthy, and may be combined with GOM into one stock. The Southern New England stock increased in abundance from 1982 until 1997, but crashed in the early 2000s, and is currently at the lowest level observed since the 1980s. Exploitation also began to decline in the early 2000s, but a large problem appears to be the dramatic decline in inshore spawning stock abundance. Researchers believe that increased water temperatures in Southern New England may be driving lobsters to cooler, offshore waters and disrupting the settlement of larvae in traditional coastal areas (Commission Technical Committee Report on Southern New England Lobster Recruitment Failure, May 2010).
Most Recent Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) / Biological Opinion
The most recent biological opinion was done on August 3, 2012. A biological opinion summarizes the findings of a formal Endangered Species Act (ESA)-Section 7 consultation. The areas affected directly and indirectly are the EEZ from Maine to Cape Hatteras, NC, in which 98% of the fishery uses lobster traps. The American lobster fishery is likely to adversely affect ESA-listed cetaceans and sea turtles when the animals come into physical contact with American lobster fishing gear. Such contact can result in injuries, including severe injuries and death. The American lobster fishery does pose a risk of serious injury and mortality to right and humpback whales as a result of entanglement in pot/trap gear. The continued implementation and development of Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan measures, along with an overall reduction in American lobster fishery effort, provide cause to anticipate the number of right and humpback whale entanglements in pot/trap gear should decline or, at least, not increase.
Most Recent Stock Assessment
The most recent stock assessment was released in August 2015. The Gulf of Maine lobster stock is primarily an inshore fishery, and accounts for over 90% of the entire U.S. American lobster landings. The stock is currently stable, and landings nearly doubled from 2007 to 2013; reaching the time series high of 64,087 metric tons (141.3 million pounds) in 2013. The Georges Bank lobster stock is a predominantly offshore fishery, the smallest fishery of the three, and has consistently only represented an average of less than 5% of total U.S. landings since 1981. Landings from this stock have also been increasing from 2007 to 2013, with a time series high of 2,394 metric tons (5.3 million pounds) in 2005. This stock is also in good condition, with landings remaining in the upper quartile for the last nine years of the total time series (1982-2013). The Southern New England lobster stock was historically (before 2011) the second largest fishery, accounting for 19% of U.S. landings. However, a sharp decline in the population in recent years has significantly reduced catch, lowering the contribution of this stock to only 2% of the U.S. total in 2013. While the SNE fishery was predominantly an inshore fishery, a higher percentage of landings have come from the offshore component since 2008 due to declines in the inshore landings. This stock reached a time series high of 21.9 million pounds (9,935 metric tons) in 1997, but through dramatic drops in population throughout the 2000s, have reach a record low in 2013 of only 3.3 million pounds (1,500 metric tons). The Southern New England stock is currently severely depleted.
Next Stock Assessment
Lobster stock assessments take place every 2-5 years. The next stock assessment is expected to take place in 2020.
Specifications
Overfishing level: The Southern New England stock is depleted but overfishing is not occurring. The Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks are in good condition; these stocks are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring.
Acceptable biological Catch: N/A
Annual Catch Limit: N/A
Optimum Yield: N/A
Domestic Annual Harvest: N/A
Domestic Annual Processing: N/A
Border Transfer: N/A
At-Sea Processing: No at-sea processing
Aquaculture
Researchers are currently developing techniques to breed American lobster and are analyzing the economic feasibility of commercial aquaculture of this important lobster species.
Juvenile Abundance Studies
State scientists, in cooperation with the lobster industry, are conducting important projects to assist with the effective management of the lobster resource. Specifically, many states have established vent-less trap surveys to determine the level of juvenile lobster abundance. By removing the escape vents from the lobster traps and setting them using a random stratified methodology, researchers are able to assess the abundance of small lobsters and the potential for recruitment in the future. These surveys complement longstanding fishery-independent trawl surveys conducted by NOAA Fisheries and the states. Since trawl gear can’t effectively sample rocky or shallow coastal bottom types, the vent-less trap surveys compensate for the data void and allows the use of fishermen, their vessels and their expertise in monitoring lobsters. In order to take part in research activity that requires exemptions to the existing Federal Regulations, an Exempted Fishing Permit or Letter of Authorization must be obtained.
Fishery Quotas
The commercial lobster fishery is not managed by quota limitations; instead trap caps are used to control fishing effort. The chart below explains the commercial and recreational possession limits. The Commission has implemented a Limited Access Program in all 7 Lobster Management Areas (Areas). All Areas, with the exception of Area 1, has also gone through an individual trap allocation process, where vessels are allocated individual trap allocations based on their prior fishing history in the Area.
Table 3: Trap Limits by Gear Type
|
Gear Type |
Permit Category |
Description |
Trap/Catch Limit |
|
Trap |
Area 1 |
Nearshore Gulf of Maine |
Trap max = 800 (All Area 1 vessels may fish 800 traps) |
|
Trap |
Area 2 |
Nearshore Southern New England |
Trap max = 800 |
|
Trap |
Area 3 |
Offshore |
Trap max = 1945 |
|
Trap |
Area 4 |
N. Nearshore Mid-Atlantic |
Trap max = 1440 |
|
Trap |
Area 5 |
S. Nearshore Mid-Atlantic |
Trap max= 1440 |
|
Trap |
Area 6 |
Entirely in NY and CT state waters - Long Island Sound |
Trap = State waters only No Federal management |
|
Trap |
Outer Cape Cod Area |
Outer Cape Cod |
Trap max = 800 |
|
Non-Trap |
LO1 |
Commercial non-trap |
Non-trap = 100 lobsters per day for a maximum of 500 lobsters per trip of 5 or more days |
|
Non-Trap |
LO2 |
Party/Charter recreational |
Non-trap = 6 lobsters per person per day catch limit Catch is not to be sold, bartered, or traded |
**Permit holders are subjected to the most restrictive rule (50 CFR 697.4). This means that a permit holder that has more than one Area elected on their permit, must fish the lower allocated trap number in all Areas selected on their permit for the current fishing year.
Please refer to Federal regulations 50 CFR 697.19 for specific information on trap limits and trap tag requirements.
Permits
As of fishing year 2015, there are 3072 Federal lobster permits; 389 of which are in Confirmation of Permit History (CPH) status. A CPH status allows a vessel owner to retain his or her permit eligibility in the event the vessel has been sunk, destroyed, or sold. The permit in CPH may then be placed on a vessel at a later date.
Table 4: Number of Federal Lobster permits issued in 2015
|
Permit Category |
Type |
Number of issued Permits |
|
Area 1 |
Commercial |
1654 |
|
Area 2 |
Commercial |
185 |
|
Area 3 |
Commercial |
136 |
|
Area 4 |
Commercial |
77 |
|
Area 5 |
Commercial |
40 |
|
Area 6 |
Commercial |
38 |
|
AOC |
Commercial |
19 |
|
LO1 |
Commercial Non-Trap |
895 |
|
LO2 |
Charter/Party Non-Trap |
28 |
|
CPH |
Commercial |
389 |
Category 1 (LO1) refers to non-trap permits. Category 2 (LO2) refers to Charter/Party permits.
How to obtain a Federal fishing permit
On December 6, 1999, NMFS published a final rule that establishes a moratorium on any new entrants into the Federal lobster fishery. However, existing permits (when associated with a vessel) can be bought and sold to another entity; please contact the permit office for more information (phone number 978-281-9370). You may also obtain a permit application and other relevant forms online. For information of Federal lobster Regulations, please contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division at 978-281-9315.
Commercial Rules and Regulations
Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster (Lobster Plan), Addenda I through XXIV to Amendment 3.
State waters (within 3 miles of shore)
Federal waters (3-200 miles)
Lobster Trap Definition
A “lobster trap” refers to any structure or other device, other than a net, that is placed, or designed to be placed, on the ocean bottom and is designed for or is capable of, catching lobsters, fished by a Federal lobster vessel. Please refer to the Federal regulations, 50 CFR 697.2, for specific definitions to Federal lobster management.
Each management area has unique regulations that include:
- Trap limits, which are a form of effort control.
- Each permit holder is limited to either an individual trap allocation based on historical fishing practices, or an area-wide trap cap which represents the maximum number of traps that a permit holder may fish in a specific area. Trap limits vary by Lobster Management Area (Area), see Table 3.
- Prohibition on the possession of egg-bearing lobsters and v-notched lobsters. See v-notch marking requirements in Table 5.
- V-notching is indenting the tail fin of egg-bearing females in a “v” shape before returning it to the water to mark it as broodstock and protect it from harvest, to improve egg production.
- Prohibition on possession of lobster meat and lobster parts (lobsters must be landed live and whole to ensure that they are of legal size).
- Gear restrictions (trap configuration requirements and prohibition on using spears)
- Limits on the amount of lobster that can be harvested with non-trap gear.
- Fishermen must have a permit to harvest lobster in Federal waters.
- Limits on the minimum and maximum size of lobster than can be harvested, which vary among management areas.
- To improve data collection in the fishery, all Federal lobster dealers must submit weekly electronic reports for all lobsters purchased from fishermen with Federal permits.
- Specific information on the Federal lobster prohibitions can be found at 50 CFR 697.7.
Table 5: V-Notch Marking Requirements in the Exclusive Economic Zone, by Area
|
Federal Management Area |
Area 1 |
Area 2 |
Area 3 |
Area 4 |
Area 5 |
Area 6 |
Outer Cape |
|
V- Notch Marking Requirements |
Mandatory marking for all egg bearing lobsters |
Voluntary marking (State: mandatory marking for all egg-bearing lobsters) |
Mandatory marking for all egg bearing lobsters above 42˚30’ N. Lat. |
Voluntary marking (State: mandatory marking for all egg-bearing lobsters) |
Voluntary marking (State: mandatory marking for all egg-bearing lobsters) |
Voluntary marking |
Voluntary marking |
|
V-Notch Possession Definition |
Zero Tolerance |
Standard V-notch definition (1/8”) |
Standard V-notch definition (1/8”) |
Standard V-notch definition (1/8”) |
Standard V-notch definition (1/8”) |
Standard V-notch definition (1/8”) |
Standard V-notch definition (1/8”) (state: ¼” without setal hairs) |
Trip, Fish size, and Possession Limits
- Trip/Possession Limits: The lobster trap fishery has no trip limit or possession limit; non-trap lobster harvesters are limited to 100 lobsters per day or no more than 500 lobsters per trip of 5 days or more.
- If non-trap gear is involved please see detailed information at §697.17.
In cases where state measures differ from Federal regulations and you hold a Federal American lobster permit, you must adhere to the most restrictive state or Federal regulations.
Gear Requirements
Table 6: Lobster gauge and size limit requirements
| Federal Management measurement | Area 1 | Area 2 | Area 3 | Area 4 | Area 5 | Area 6 | OCC |
|
Minimum Gauge size |
3- 1/4” |
3- 3/8” |
3- 17/32” |
3- 3/8” |
3- 3/8” |
3- 1/4” |
3- 3/8” |
|
Max gauge size |
5” |
5- 1/4” |
6- 3/4” |
5- 1/4” |
5- 1/4” |
5- 1/4” |
6- 3/4” (state: none) |
Table 7: Trap Gear Configuration Requirements
|
Lobster Management Area |
Area 1 |
Area 2 |
Area 3 |
Area 4 |
Area 5 |
Area 6 |
OCC |
|
Escape vent rectangular |
1- 15/16 x 5- ¾” |
2 x 5- ¾” |
2- 1/16 x 5- ¾” |
2 x 5- ¾” |
2 x 5- ¾” |
2 x 5- ¾” |
2 x 5- ¾” |
|
Escape vent circular |
2- 7/16” |
2- 5/8” |
2- 11/16” |
2- 5/8” |
2- 5/8” |
2- 5/8” |
2- 5/8” |
Lobster Trap Gear Marking Areas
Federal lobster trap vessels must adhere to the gear marking requirements as set forth in §697.21 of the Federal lobster regulations for each gear marking area, as summarized below:
Buoy, Line Marking, and Deployment Requirements for Lobster Traps
- The deployment and gear configuration for American lobster, as defined by §697.21(b), establishes gear requirements for four geographic areas: (1) The Gulf of Maine, (2) Georges Bank, (3) Southern New England and (4) Mid-Atlantic gear areas (see Figure2).
- American lobster trap trawls consisting of three or fewer traps deployed in the four geographic areas identified in Figure 2 must be attached to and marked with a single buoy.
- Lobster trap trawls consisting of more than three traps must have a radar reflector and a single flag or pennant on the westernmost end (marking the half compass circle from magnetic south through west, to and including north), while the easternmost end (meaning the half compass circle from magnetic north through east, to and including south) of an American lobster trap trawl must be configured with a radar reflector only.
- Standard tetrahedral corner radar reflectors of at least 8 inches (20.32 cm) (both in height and width, and made from metal) must be employed.
- Furthermore, no American lobster trap trawl shall exceed 1.5 nautical miles (2.78 km) in length, as measured from radar reflector to radar reflector.
In addition to the gear configuration requirements mentioned here, permit holders should be aware that American lobster regulations have trap tag requirements for each trap.
Table 8: Lobster Gear markings locations
| Lobster Trap Gear Making Area | N. Latitude | W. Longitude |
| Gulf of Maine | North of 42°20´ | seaward of a line drawn 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the baseline of the territorial sea |
| Georges Bank | South of 42°20´ | East of 70°00´ or the outer boundary of the territorial sea, whichever lies farther east |
| Mid-Atlantic | North of 36°33´ at a depth greater than 40 fathoms (73.15 m). | West of 71°30´ |
| Southern New England | N/A | West of 70°00´ W. Long, east of 71°30´ at a depth greater than 25 fathoms (45.72 m |
*See regulations §697.21 for further information on all points.
Figure 2: Gear Marking and Gear Configuration Areas
Regulated, Closed, and Access Areas
Any Federal lobster permit holder with a trap designation on their permit, may not fish with traps in an area not designated on the permit. You may choose more than one designated area when applying or reapplying for a fishing permit. Specific coordinates of Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the Outer Cape Cod are located at: https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sfd/lobster/AreaCoordinates.AllAreas.3-06.pdf
Seasonal Closed Areas
|
|
OCC |
Area 4 |
Area 5 |
|
Seasonal Closure |
February 1 – March 31 |
April 30 – May 31 |
February 1 – March 31* |
| Grace Period* | None | 1 week gear replacement | 2 weeks gear removal, 1 week gear replacement |
| Federal Regulation | §697.7 (c)(1)(xxx)(A) | §697.7 (c)(1)(xxx)(B) | §697.7 (c)(1)(xxx)(C) |
*Grace periods allow permit holders extra time to remove gear at the beginning of a closure period or re-set gear at the end of a closure period. No possession or harvest of lobster is allowed during these grace periods.
Gear Restricted Areas
The gear restricted areas were established with input from both mobile and trap gear lobster fishermen and are intended to avoid gear conflicts during certain times of the year. These areas restrict access to either trap or mobile gear on an alternating seasonal basis as described below:
Table 9: Gear restricted areas
|
Federal Regulations |
Restricted Gear Area |
Area Closed to Mobile Gear |
Area Closed to Lobster Fixed Gear |
|
§697.23(b) |
I |
10/1-6/15 |
6/16-9/30 |
|
§697.23(c) |
II |
11/27-6/15 |
6/16-11/26 |
|
§697.23(d) |
III |
6/16-11/26 |
1/1-4/30 |
|
§697.23(e) |
IV |
6/16-9/30 |
Not Applicable |
*See Figure 3.
Figure 3: Restricted Gear Areas
*Graphics Credit: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 2009
Days-At-Sea (DAS) Requirements
The American lobster fishery is not managed by a DAS system. The fishery is regulated by minimum and maximum size requirements, trap limits, limited entry for each lobster trap management area and by trip (possession) limits for the non-trap fishery. Please see the ‘Quota’ section of this webpage for more information on effort control in the American lobster fishery.
Protected Resource and Marine Mammal Regulations
All Federal lobster trap vessels are subject to the gear restrictions in the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. Marine mammal regulations require that all lobster traps be hauled back at least every 30 days and set forth specific requirements for the ropes used in lobster trap trawls to reduce the danger to the marine mammals from entanglement.
For specific Federal lobster regulations relating to gear identification and gear marking requirements, refer to 50 CFR 697.21.
Recreational Rules and Regulations
NMFS does not issue permits to vessels for recreational fishing. Charter boats, head boats, and commercial fishing boats are not considered recreational fishing vessels. Recreational fishermen without a Federal lobster permit may harvest lobster from a recreational vessel and can keep up to 6 lobsters per person per day as long as the lobster is not used for sale, barter, or trade, unless otherwise restricted by the state of landing.
Trip, Fish size, and Possession Limits
Please see the rules and regulations section of this website for more information on fishing for American lobster. However, individuals without a Federal lobster permit may harvest lobster from a recreational vessel and can keep up to 6 lobsters per person per day as long as the lobster is not used for sale, barter, or trade and met the relevant size and possession requirements.
Gear Requirements
Please see the rules and regulations section of this website for more information on fishing for American lobster.
Regulated, Closed, and Access Areas
Please see the rules and regulations section of this website for more information on fishing for American lobster.
DAS Requirements
The American lobster fishery is not managed by a Days-At-Sea system. Please see the ‘Quota’ section of this webpage for more information.
Protected Resource and Marine Mammal Regulations
Please see the rules and regulations section of this website for more information on fishing for American lobster. All Federal lobster trap vessels are subject to the gear restrictions in the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. Marine mammal regulations require that all lobster traps be hauled back at least every 30 days.
Commercial Reporting
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Requirements
Vessels with only a Federal lobster permit and no other Federal fishery permits are not required to have a VMS.
Dealer Reporting
All Federal lobster dealers must provide weekly electronic trip level reports of lobster purchases.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System Requirements
The American lobster fishery does not have any IVR requirements. However, those vessels with a Federal lobster permit and another Federal fisheries permit that requires the IVR system must include the harvest of lobster and all other species to NMFS.
Observer Requirements
A Federal lobster vessel must take a Federal fishery observer upon request by the Federal government (50 CFR 697.12).
Catch Reporting and Vessel Trip Reports
Vessels with only a Federal lobster permit and no other Federal fishery permits are not required to report landings to NMFS; although, most states have their own reporting requirements. Those vessels with a Federal lobster permit and another Federal fisheries permit that requires reporting (VTR’s) are required to report the harvest of lobster and all other species to NMFS.
If an individual permit only possesses a Federal lobster permit, then there are no VTR reporting requirements to NMFS. Contact your state agency to determine if you have state reporting requirements.
Charter/Party and Recreational Reporting
See Commercial Reporting tab.
