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RECOMMENDATIONS

The "boundary effect" present around seaweed should be investigated thoroughly with regard to other habitat boundaries. In particular, comparisons should be made of how lobster densities change with differing sizes, shapes and types of habitat.

In future, descriptions of marine sediments must be as specific as practical, especially with regard to the largest particle sizes. These gravel, pebble, cobble and boulder substrates are highly variable and are too important as Essential Fish Habitats to lump together as one convenient gravel classification.

Greater emphasis should be placed on describing and mapping bottom environmental conditions regionally, not just for lobsters, but for the many other important species that utilize and must adapt to bottom conditions during part of their life cycles. State of the art mapping techniques are currently being applied to the most critical areas, but an all out effort is needed to fit these local areas into a larger picture of substrate distribution.

New research is needed on lobster communities in the wild with particular emphasis on how communities restructure when members are removed. We need to better understand how lobsters socially interact at the community level and what effect migration has on this interaction.

Additional research is needed to determine the maximum density of dominant males in a given habitat. Much can be learned by observing how many shelters are twice the size of the mature lobster. These are the only shelters where the adult lobsters are likely to mate. It should be possible to selectively remove the large dominant male in a test situation to see how the largest females respond.

Future work on habitats and substrate should be done in conjunction with Federal and State agencies, academic, and private institutions. It should utilize Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and satellite mapping techniques.

Serious consideration should be given to protecting large lobsters in order to maximize reproductive potential and protect the gene pool. If large lobsters do not reproduce, the species will not be passing on its strongest, most survivable, traits. However, protection of large lobsters should not be viewed as a panacea for dealing with overfishing and habitat loss.