Lobster remains one of New England's most heavily fished and profitable catches. In the 1990s, many fishermen turned to lobster when cod and other groundfish stocks were depleted and once-plentiful fishing grounds were ordered closed. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the lobster catch has increased to 78.4 million pounds in 1999, from 48.5 million pounds in 1995. Yet, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission says a random survey conducted in the Gulf of Maine shows the lobster population tripled between 1982 and 1997. Over the same period, the number of traps in Maine increased to 2.7 million from 1.5 million.
Several explanations are possible, scientists and fishermen say.
Lobstermen believe the herring and fish-scrap bait they use to lure the creatures is feeding the population, and helping it grow. They say smaller lobsters feed in the traps and depart through a vent that keeps legal-size lobsters in, but lets smaller lobsters escape. Scientists and lobstermen also are investigating whether lobsters are reaching sexual maturity faster and laying eggs earlier in their lives. Two years ago scientists predicted that, without restrictions, the lobster population would collapse as groundfish stocks did. Because it takes five to seven years for lobsters to grow to legal size, it would take years for the species to rebound from a population drop.