August 8, 2024
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) is praising federal regulators for delaying new regulations that threaten the future of the iconic lobster fishery.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) voted 9-1 late Tuesday to delay implementation of Addendum 27 by six months to July 1, 2025. Addendum 27 increases minimum allowable catch sizes for lobster, stripping New England lobstermen of their most popular seafood products.
“We are relieved that the commission is taking more time to thoughtfully consider Addendum 27’s dire consequences for lobstering,” said NEFSA COO Dustin Delano, who urged the commission to delay the new rules in testimony on Tuesday. “The commissioners have shown that they are sensitive to feedback from harvesters, dealers, and processors who are uniformly concerned about this measure. NEFSA urges the commission to use this delay to scrap, or at least amend, Addendum 27.”
Addendum 27 increases minimum allowable catch size to 3 5/16”. Even minor changes in catch size can have devastating effect on the viability of a lobster business. For example, the so-called chicken lobster in the 1 to 1.15 lb range is in high demand among restaurants, wholesalers, and European markets. Harvesters cannot catch that product once Addendum 27 is triggered.
Lobstermen, dealers, and processors expect steep declines in revenue without the chicken lobster product, such that their businesses may no longer be viable.
NEFSA maintains that adjustments to minimum allowable catch size are not necessary at this time. Lobster stocks remain historically robust. This past year saw an uptick in juvenile lobster population according to two separate monitoring programs. Given these facts, there is no cause for threatening the continued existence of New England lobster fisheries.
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