Although American lobsters can be located in any habitat at any stage of their life cycle, they are not equally likely to be found in a given habitat during a particular period. There are vast areas where lobsters are rarely captured in trawls. Published trawl surveys are inadequate to accurately delineate the distribution of the American lobster. Every effort should be made to utilize satellite positioning information with these surveys and to supplement these data with reports from lobstermen. Bottom temperatures appear to determine habitat preferences and migration patterns of the American lobster.
Preliminary work indicates that the mean bottom temperature in the Gulf of Maine is increasing.
Fluctuations in the volume of slope water entering the Northeast Channel may be partly responsible for the general temperature trend. Marine habitats are made up of a near infinite variety of oceanographic, biologic and geographic factors. Poor environmental conditions or stress may lead to significant further losses. Thus identification and protection of brooding habitats should be a priority. Optimum habitats are much more limited in aerial extent than previously thought.