February 1, 2017 — New fishing restrictions aimed at restoring the declining lobster population of the Southern New England fishery could begin to be applied in May.
However, fishermen remain skeptical about the success of a plan designed to revive the crustacean population. They argue that it might not make sense to restrict fishing when it is actually the environment that is harming the lobster population.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) is considering a variety of options to rejuvenate the region’s lobster stock, which scientists have said is falling victim to rising ocean temperatures, Associated Press informed.
The measures that would come into force to comply with the recommendations of the Commission members include changing the legal harvesting size limit for lobsters, reducing the number of traps in the water and enforcing seasonal closures.