Lobster Question

[jefffalcone]

I've been lobstering a couple of times this week. Every single lobster I pick up is a female with eggs. Has anyone else noticed this? Is this common for late season? I just got certified in the spring so this is my first season. Is this a symptom of overfishing? Only the bugs we aren't allowed to keep are left?

Both times was the same site, so maybe it is just there. I'm pretty sure there isn't a male lobster left at Brant Rock.

 

[krustykrab]

Hmmm... I've been seeing the opposite up on the North Shore - lot's of males, which seems unusual. Maybe 1 out of 10 was an egger, but some big males in the past few weeks, which seemed to be more then the rest of the summer. Seemed like the bigger ones were always females.

Maybe we need to get these lobsters together...!

 

[ScubaSarus]

The question Ide like to know if there are mathamatical and scientific facts showing that the sealife we consume is reproducing faster than the rate we consume it.

Ive been diving for seven years and I believe Im seeing less lobster of keeper size than I used to 7 years ago.

 

[Rainer]

Saw somewhere between 70-100 lobsters last night (80 minute dive at Folly), with maybe five legals (had it not been night). Tons of small lobsters right now. Didn't see a single egger.

 

[High Bouyancy]

Lobster north of Cape Cod generally molt 2X each season. The peaks are June and September/October. Frequently a female will extrude her eggs after molting. Generally speaking, stock assessments show that 90% of lobsters are caught between the time they first become legal and the time they would reproduce for the first time. However, the stock is not in bad shape.

 

[jefffalcone]

I guess it's just particular to brant rock. I eventually stopped picking them up because i was sure they would have eggs. Tons of big females. Good news for the future i guess.

 

[scubastew]

I might also hypothosize that due to the increased striped bass population the mature lobster count is reduced, i have seen stripers "dive bomb" shorts as soon as they're erantly discarded by a diver. since then I tend to place the bug back in his/her bug-den. I persoanllu noticed a spike in my usually seasons catch 4 or 5 years ago, and a steady decline since then, at the same time the striper population has returned and their size limit had been reduced.

just what i've noted...not scientific at all...

the original post was referencing Brant Rock. and that place has divers on it constantly throughout the summer, so a keeper male at brant rock can't possibly last more than 48 hours at that sight before it's on someone's stovetop.

~stu

 

[JMdiver]

The question Ide like to know if there are mathamatical and scientific facts showing that the sealife we consume is reproducing faster than the rate we consume it.

Ive been diving for seven years and I believe Im seeing less lobster of keeper size than I used to 7 years ago.

No it's not & we have to wake up the world to this fact before it's too late.

John

 

[pdive]

Ebb & Flow: Sunny weather no boon to local lobstermen - GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA

 

[ScubaSarus]

"The bottom line is there are too many boats fishing this area, and the resource can't support the demand," he said. "There are only so many lobsters left to be stirred up, and the magnitude of the gear out there far surpasses what's available. Everyone wants a slice of the pie, and it isn't going to happen."

This what Ive been trying to point out. I believe its a big fact and attributes to the 55% decline in lobster catch.