August 2, 2017 — Lobster populations in Southern New England are in dramatic decline and recovery is not likely to happen anytime soon.
That’s according to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission — an interstate compact, which manages fisheries in the region.
A 2015 assessment by that group showed record lows.
On Tuesday, the commission considered a number of management options to boost lobster egg production, but agreed nearly uniformly that rebuilding populations of Southern New England Lobster was unlikely.
“We’re seeing warmer waters and lobsters are very sensitive to temperature,” said Megan Ware, the group’s fishery management plan coordinator. “So it could be that we’re hitting that thermal threshold for them, and they’re moving to colder waters.”