NEFSA RESPONDS TO ASMFC LOBSTER STOCK REPORT

“It’s important to remember that lobster surveys and landings reached record highs in 2016-2018—levels that far exceeded historical expectations. At that time, many in the industry were openly questioning how the ecosystem could even sustain such abundance. Naturally, when stock levels reach unprecedented highs, some degree of decline is inevitable over time. To interpret that decline as the result of overfishing, rather than a return toward long-term averages, does not align with the full context of what we’ve seen on the water.

“We continue to believe that environmental conditions—particularly fluctuating ocean temperatures, habitat shifts, and increased predation—are the primary drivers behind recent trends in survey results. These factors, not fishing effort, are far more consistent with both the timing and the regional nature of the changes being observed.

“The lobster fishery in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank remains one of the most well-managed and conservation-minded fisheries in the world. Fishermen have long taken proactive measures to protect the resource, from strict trap limits and v-notch protections to size restrictions that ensure reproductive potential remains strong.

“In short, while we share the concern for sustaining a healthy lobster population, we do not agree that overfishing is an appropriate or accurate designation. The evidence points instead to environmental variability as the most likely explanation for the recent decline in survey numbers.”