August 9, 2024 — New federal regulations on the lobstering industry are being delayed after months of pushback from local lobstermen.
The rules would increase the minimum acceptable size for lobsters that can be caught and require bigger escape vents to be added to traps.
Regulators with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission told News9 the goal of the new rules, laid out in policy called Addendum 27, are aimed at protecting the population of younger lobsters and allowing them to grow to a size where they can reproduce and be suitable for harvesting.
“We’re looking at those lobsters that are kind of forecasting that would be available to the fisheries next year,” said Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator. Plan Coordinator.
The commission voted this week to delay the start of new rules from January to July.
Starks said the number of those younger lobsters have declined in research counts in recent years, triggering the new regulations.
However, local lobstermen have cast doubt on those studies and railed against the rules laid out in Addendum 27.