August 7, 2024
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — 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.
John Borden runs a lobstering boat out of Portsmouth Harbor and has been fishing in the Gulf of Maine for decades.
Borden estimates the new rules on lobster size and larger escape holes on traps would lead to him losing up to 50% of his catch. He said in his experience on the water in recent years, the lobster population is strong and these new restrictions will only hurt fishermen.
"You don't wear a rain coat if it's sunny out, simple as that," Borden said. "We have plenty of lobsters, the lobster resource is very, very strong."
Borden is a member of the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, a nonprofit group that has been urging federal regulators to abandon or alter the changes in Addendum 27.
Borden explained the need for larger escape ports on traps will require lobstermen to either retrofit their current gear or buy a new slate of traps. With some fishermen hauling hundreds of traps into the Gulf of Maine, either option would be difficult and expensive.
"Lobster fishing is probably now one of the most sustainable fisheries in the country," Borden said.
Local lobstermen have also raised concerns about how the regulations would impact the trade of lobsters with fishermen and wholesalers in Canada.
Borden said he hopes this delay in the roll out of the regulations is just the first step to them eventually being tossed out altogether.
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