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HERBERT HODGKINS, LOBSTER INSTITUTE VOLUNTEER, TO RECEIVE BARN RAISER AWARD – “Well, I think we just cured a lobster.” With those words, he was hooked…..and Herb Hodgkins has been a volunteer with the University of Maine and the Lobster Institute ever since…for nearly thirty years.

This year Herb, a resident of Hancock, is being recognized by Yankee Magazine for his years of dedicated volunteerism as a recipient of their 2004 Barn Raiser Award. According to Yankee Magazine, “This prestigious award honors the spirit of old-time barn raisings, when people joined hands to create New England’s communities. It is presented to those who personify the best of the volunteer spirit.”

A representative from Yankee will be on hand as the Lobster Institute celebrates Herb’s Barn Raiser Award with a reception on Tuesday, August 24 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Gallery & Restaurant at Oceanwood Campground in Bunkers Harbor. The community is invited and RSVPs are requested by calling the Lobster Institute at 207-581-1443.

Herb’s first volunteer work with the Dr. Bob Bayer of the University of Maine was in the mid 1970s. It involved helping to find a cure for gaffkemia or “red tail” disease – a bacterial menace that was infecting lobsters being held in tidal pounds. Dr. Bayer had a trial vaccine that needed to be tested, and Herb offered the use of his lobster pound and his lobsters for the trials. Herb, Dr. Bayer, and several University of Maine students hand-injected hundreds of lobsters with the vaccine. Herb diligently checked the lobsters and recorded observations until that day when Dr. Bayer finally announced, “Well I think we just cured a lobster.”

With that, Herb became one of the University of Maine’s and the Lobster Institute’s most dedicated and longstanding volunteers. In fact, in the mid-1980s Herb played an integral part in the formation of the Lobster Institute. As then president of the Maine Lobster Pound Association, he joined with the heads of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, the Maine Import/Export Lobster Dealers, and others in approaching the University of Maine about creating an organization that would connect all sectors of the lobster industry with each other as well as with scientist. In 1987, the Lobster Institute was formed. An all-volunteer Board of Advisors was recruited, and Herb served as the first vice chairman of that group – a post he has held to this day. Based at the University of Maine, the Lobster Institute’s core functions include communication, technical assistance, research, and educational programs to help secure the lobster resource and the vitality of lobstering as an industry…and as a way of life.

Herb has been involved in many research projects over the years, contributing his lobsters, his equipment, his time, or all of these. He has worked on several lobster health studies; he stores and maintains the Lobster Institute’s research vessel, the RV Blackfly; he has been a speaker at Lobster Institute community presentations and at Lobster College. His most recent volunteer activity involves studies on alternative soy-based lobster bait.

Herb’s commitment and reliability as a volunteer continues to set the standard for both the Lobster Institute and for the lobster industry. His many other volunteer efforts include service to his home community of Hancock, Maine; the Maine Lobster Pound Association; and the Frenchman Bay Conservancy.

For more information about the reception to honor Herb, contact the Lobster Institute at 581-1443 or 581-2751. ~~

LOBSTER INSTITUTE TO HOST CANADIAN/U.S. LOBSTERMEN'S TOWN MEETING ON APRIL 23 --

A Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen’s Town Meeting will be held in Portland, Maine on April 23 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Double Tree Hotel. Hosted by the Lobster Institute, the Lobstermen’s Town Meeting will be an industry-wide gathering of lobstermen and other interested parties, coming together to discuss the status of the lobster resource. “Lobstermen from all geographic areas of the fishery are encouraged to attend and share what they see, what they know, and what they can tell us about the resource. What impacts the fishery in one area could very well impact the fishery in others, that’s why we’re inviting lobstermen from Canada down through to Long Island Sound to join us,” said Dana Rice, chairman of the event’s planning committee. “A unique feature of this meeting is that it is structured with an emphasis on the lobstermen’s perspective,” said Rice. “Rather than fishermen listening to scientists, scientists will be invited to listen to the fishermen.”

The primary goal of the Lobstermen’s Town Meeting is to provide fishermen with an opportunity to share with one another what they are observing in their day-to-day operations in their region, what their concerns might be, what positive things they are seeing, and how resource managers and scientists might use the information they can provide. In addition it will allow fishermen to get a more complete picture over the range of the entire resource, including commonalities, differences and potential future impacts.

“This is an opportunity for lobstermen to help set the agenda for needed research for the fishery on an industry-wide basis, research geared toward both preservation and the responsible use of the resource, while maintaining the vitality of the industry,” said Dr. Robert Bayer, executive director of the Lobster Institute. “We are fostering collaboration and communication between all geographic areas of the fishery to reinforce the fact that all share and rely on a common resource that must be protected.”

According to Bayer, the morning session will be devoted to a true “town meeting” style discussion, directed by a trained moderator provided by Maine Sea Grant. Time will be allotted to several pre-determined key topic areas as well as for other topics. Active participation in this component of the meeting will be limited to industry people (fishermen, dealers, pound owners, processors). The focus of the discussion will be on the status of the resource and its habitat. Scientist and regulators are invited to listen to the discussion.

During the afternoon there will be a “Meet the Scientists” session. This part of the event will be set

up in a “trade show” format, with each participating scientist having a booth where they will display information relevant to their research. This will be followed by “round table” discussions on areas determined to be of most interest during the morning session. Key researchers will be available to provide input and share the current status of studies being done in highlighted areas.

The morning session will be recorded, and tapes or transcripts will be made available to interested parties. In addition, a summary report of the Town Meeting and the breakout discussions will be compiled and sent directly to appropriate research universities and organizations, regulatory agencies, and granting agencies/foundations. It will also be available upon request to any interested parties and will be posted on the Lobster Institute’s Web site.

Sponsorship for the Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen’s Town Meeting is being provided by Darden Restaurants Foundation, Fisheries Products International, Maine Import/Export Lobster Dealers, and Maine Sea Grant. The meeting is endorsed by the following organizations:

"EVERYTHING LOBSTER": A SPECIAL CLAMBAKE HOSTED BY WARREN'S LOBSTER HOUSE WITH A SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY THE LOBSTER INSTITUTE -- The public is invited to a good old-fashioned clambake and special presentation, both featuring everything lobster, hosted by Warren’s Lobster House in Kittery and the Lobster Institute of the University of Maine on Wednesday, September 17.

There will be two seatings on the Warren’s heated deck, one at 4:30 and one at 6:30. The first seating will feature the clambake, with representatives of the Lobster Institute going from table to table with live lobsters, telling diners all they want to know about the “king of crustaceans”. The 6:30 seating will also include the show and tell about lobsters, plus following dinner the Lobster Institute will present “In Their Own Words: A History of the Lobster Industry” which features a timeline of milestones in the industry highlighted by quotes and video clips from oral history interviews conducted by the Institute with veteran lobstermen and their families.

Dinner will start with a trip to Warren’s salad bar, which features over 60 items. Then, the traditional clambake will include clam chowder, steamed clams or mussels, Maine lobster, barbequed chicken, watermelon, and Warren’s signature “strawberry longcake”, with plenty of whipped cream.

Reservations are required, as seating is limited. Call Warren’s Lobster House at 207-439-1630 to make your reservation for this special event. Cost for the evening is $29.99 and covers dinner, beverage, tax and gratuity – and, of course, the presentation. Five dollars of the cost will be donated to the Lobster Institute to assist them in their research and educational outreach activities. The mission of the Lobster Institute is to protect and conserve the lobster and enhance lobstering as an industry…and a way of life. More information about the Lobster Institute can be found on their Web site at www.lobsterinstitute.org or by calling 207-581-2751.

LOBSTER INSTITUTE PROVIDES A LIST OF “LOBSTER EXPERTS” ON THEIR WEB SITE -- The Lobster Institute’s Web site, www.lobsterinstitute.com, now offers a new service – an international directory of researchers with expertise in a variety of areas related to lobsters. This list of Lobster Institute Cooperating Research Associates features scientists that specialize in everything from lobster biology and ecology, to lobster health, to food science and value-added seafood products. Each research associate has provided contact information, including address, phone, fax and email, as well as an indication of his or her areas of expertise.

“The Lobster Institute has always served as a clearinghouse of information about lobsters, and acted as a liaison between scientists and the lobster industry. Providing this valuable resource list is an extension of that,” said Dr. Bob Bayer, Executive Director of the Lobster Institute. “This is a brand new service. We recognize this list is in no way complete, yet we anticipate it will continue to grow. We encourage suggestions for additions to the directory and invite other researchers to contact us if they are interested in being added to this resource guide.” The directory not only includes scientists from Maine and New England; there are researchers from outside the U.S. as well, including Canada, Australia, and Japan.

According to Bayer, having this information compiled in one easy-to-access location will be a valuable tool for not only those in the industry, but for the scientists themselves. It will also be a useful reference for the many students who contact the Lobster Institute looking for information to help them in their studies about lobsters.

To access the list log on to the Lobster Institute Web site at www.lobsterinstitute.org and click onto the “Lobster Experts” page. Those who would like to be considered for inclusion on the list, or would like to suggest additions, may contact the Lobster Institute at 207-581-1443 or email jean.day@umit.maine.edu.

LOBSTER DINNER AND LECTURE AT WARREN'S LOBSTER HOUSE IN KITTERY, JANUARY 30 -- The public is invited to a special dinner and presentation, both featuring everything lobster, hosted by Warren’s Lobster House in Kittery and the Lobster Institute of the University of Maine on Thursday, January 30 at 6:00 p.m. Guests will be served a scrumptious gourmet dinner complete with appetizer, choice of five different entrées, and dessert -- all made with succulent Maine lobster. Appetizer choices are creamy lobster stew or unique lobster cheesecake. Entree choices include lobster stuffed chicken breast, traditional boiled lobster, griddle seared lobster tail over lobster risotto, lobster stuffed with havarti smashed potatoes, or lobster & haddock fantasy. There is even a special lobster surprise for dessert.

Following dinner the Lobster Institute will present “In Their Own Words: A History of the Lobster Industry” which features a timeline of milestones in the industry highlighted by quotes and video clips from oral history interviews conducted by the Institute with veteran lobstermen and their families. The star of the show, live lobsters, will also be brought in for a short show and tell session.

Reservations are required, as seating is limited. Call Warren’s Lobster House at 207-439-1630 to make your reservation for this special event. Cost for the evening is $29.95 and covers dinner, beverage, tax and gratuity – and, of course, the presentation. Five dollars of the cost will be donated to the Lobster Institute to assist them in their research and educational outreach activities. The mission of the Lobster Institute is to protect and conserve the lobster and enhance lobstering as an industry…and a way of life. More information about the Lobster Institute can be found on their Web site at www.lobsterinstitute.org or by calling 207-581-2751.

LOBSTER INSTITUTE LECTURE, "In Their Own Words

A History of the Lobster Industry" NOVEMBER 19

The public is invited to join the Lobster Institute for a trip along an historic timeline of the lobster industry as they present "In Their Own Words: A History of the Lobster Industry". The presentation is offered jointly by the Lobster Institute and the University of Maine's School of Marine Sciences. The lecture will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19 at the Buchanan Alumni House on the University of Maine campus in Orono.

The Lobster Institute will explore the history of the lobster industry in Maine. Special highlights include video clips and quotes from interviews with veteran lobster fishermen -- filmed as part of the Institute's ongoing oral history project. Executive Director Dr. Bob Bayer and Assistant Director Cathy Billings will narrate your trip.

The Lobster Institute is celebrating fifteen years as part of the lobstering community. It is a research and educational outreach organization working on behalf of the lobster industry. Located at the University of Maine, the Institute is based on collaborations between fishermen, researchers, and all sectors of the lobster industry.

Admission is free, with donations accepted to support the work of the Lobster Institute.

LOBSTER INSTITUTE BOARD OF ADVISORS ELECTS OFFICERS

At it’s September, 2002 meeting, the Lobster Institute elected the following officers to serve during the coming year:

Ø William Adler, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association was elected Chairman

Ø Herb Hodgkins, Executive Director of the Maine Lobster Pound Association was elected Vice-Chairman

LOBSTER INSTITUTE LECTURE, "In Their Own Words

A History of the Lobster Industry" SEPTEMBER 14

The public is invited to join the Lobster Institute for a trip along an historic timeline of the lobster industry as they present "In Their Own Words: A History of the Lobster Industry". The presentation is offered jointly by the Lobster Institute, as part of their Lobster College, and the Oceanside Meadows Institute for the Arts and Sciences. The lecture will be held at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14 at the Oceanside Meadows Inn on Corea Road in Prospect Harbor.

The Lobster Institute will explore the history of the lobster industry in Maine. Special highlights include video clips and quotes from interviews with veteran lobster fishermen -- filmed as part of the Institute's ongoing oral history project. They will also look at the economic impact of today's lobster industry and the Institute' s collaboration with lobstermen to help build a stronger fishery.

Admission is free, with donations accepted to support the work of the Lobster Institute. Seat reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Oceanside Meadows Inn at 963-5557 or the Lobster Institute at 581-1443 or 581-2751.

LOBSTER INSTITUTE RECEIVES A GRANT FROM THE MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO BEGIN AN ORAL HISTORY OF LOBSTERMEN AND THEIR WAY OF LIFE: The Lobster Institute is please to announce receipt of a $2,583 grant from the Maine Community Foundation to assist in the Institute’s oral history project, which is designed to record the stories and wisdom of some of Maine’s most veteran lobstermen and their families. The project involves conducting both audio and video interviews. The Lobster Institute will then partner with the Maine Folklife Center at the University to edit and archive these stories. Also planned is production of a broadcast quality video, with a version available via the Internet.

“The goal of the project is to capture and retain the spirit of the people and families who have made lobstering in Maine a way of life through the generations,” said Dr. Bob Bayer, Executive Director of the Lobster Institute and coordinator of the project. According to Bayer, “The lobstermen’s relationships with the sea, their boats and traps, and the lobster itself have, quite without their intent and beyond their control, created legend and lore that have made lobstering a cultural icon for our state. The people who work the coastal fisheries are, in essence, a community unto themselves. Recording the stories of our senior lobstermen and their families will strengthen and preserve a special piece of this unique Maine community’s culture and rich maritime tradition. Once completed, the project promises to educate, enlighten, and entertain.”

With further funding, the Lobster Institute has a long-range goal of including this project as just one piece of full curriculum on the study of lobsters and the lobster industry that will be made available to Maine’s public schools. This set of courses would span not only the history and culture, but also the economics, marketing, biology, and research science that are all important aspects of the fishery.

For further information and ways to contribute, contact Cathy Billings at the Lobster Institute, 210 Rogers Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469 or at 581-2751.

LOBSTER INSTITUTE RECEIVES FUNDING FROM MTI SEED GRANT PROGRAM TO DEVELOP SEAFOOD PASTA FROM PROCESSING BY-PRODUCTS: The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine has received a $10,000 grant from the Maine Technology Institute’s Seed Grant Program to fund a project entitled “Formulating Pastas from Underutilized Lobster & Crab Mince”. The grant will be match by funding from the University’s Department of Industrial Cooperation. The Institute will partner with researchers from the University’s Food Science & Human Nutrition Department as well as Cranberry Point Products, a commercial seafood processing company based in Gouldsboro, Maine. Michael Murphy, who obtained his M.S. in Food Science & Human Nutrition from the University of Maine, will be the lead research technician for the project.

The grant will provide for product development research to create marketable commercial food products utilizing lobster and crab processing by-products. A variety of fresh, seafood pasta prototypes will be developed from the mince extracted from lobster and crab legs and bodies -- from which the meat cannot easily be removed for marketing. These legs and bodies are run through a mechanical de-boner to remove residual meat as slurry. This slurry will then be incorporated as a primary ingredient in an assortment of pasta products, with enhanced nutritional value as compared to traditional grain-based pastas.

“The pastas will bring a value-added component to current seafood processing operations,” says Dr. Bob Bayer, Executive Director of the Lobster Institute. “Lobster and crab legs and bodies are presently considered by-products of processing, and companies must pay to have them hauled away as waste. The de-boning process will allow for a more complete utilization of natural and commercial resources”. According to Bayer, this adds value all the way through the line of harvester, to dealer, to processor. This new venture will fit well into the existing infrastructure of processing plants, take advantage of processing by-products, and create new jobs in production and marketing of a product that is a natural fit with the existing economic base of Maine’s fishing communities.

This project is Phase II of a project begun by graduate student Barbara Gilman and Professor Denise Skonberg from the University of Maine’s Food Science & Human Nutrition Department, in conjunction with the Lobster Institute and Cranberry Point Products. Phase I included initial testing on mechanical separation procedures, chemical and microbiological evaluation of the mince, and pasta ingredient ratios and variables. Phase II will refine both the procedure and the product – producing a commercial prototype suitable for test-marketing.

NEWS FROM THE LOBSTER INSTITUTE – December 1999

Lobster Health News

Date:10/20/98

SUMMARY

LOBSTER HEALTH PROBLEM

There have been scattered reports of weak or dead lobsters occurring in traps, tanks and pounds along the coast of Maine.

Reports of lobster mortalities from lobster pound owners and dealers in the Fall of 1997 prompted a research study conducted by the Lobster Institute, supported by the Maine Lobster Pound Association, the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, and the Department of Marine Resources. Five pounds in Maine and New Brunswick were sampled over the pounding season from November through April. A survey sent to all the pound owners in Maine at the end of the season reported an average cumulative loss of 12%. Sixty percent reported that this was an increase from the previous year's figures, 17% reported no change, and 24% reported a decrease. Losses were not affected by whether a pound was aerated, or whether it was using medicated feed. While the lobster pound sampling results showed that some bacteria were present in some of the lobsters, the levels did not correlate with the mortalities and loss experienced by the pounds. It was unclear whether the presence of these bacteria indicated a pathogen, or an opportunistic invader of already weakened animals. No other pathogens were immediately evident at that time.

In August and early September of this year, researchers began receiving reports of weak and dead lobsters found in traps and holding facilities. A Lobster Health Workshop was held - sponsored by the University of Maine, ME/NH Sea Grant, and the Department of Marine Resources - to bring together a group of scientists and industry members to address the problem. The meeting attendees pointed to a definite need for a cooperative research effort on lobster health. A core group of scientists was organized at the meeting to continue studies on the lobster health problem affecting the industry, as well as establish long-term monitoring efforts.

Dr. Bob Bayer, Dr. Deanna Prince and Maya Crosby at the University of Maine, and Dr. Paul Waterstrat at the Maine State Department of Marine Resources are collaborating with other scientists in the state, as well as others in New Hampshire and New Brunswick. The scientists will continue to work closely with industry organizations. Such cooperation is essential, as the most important issue to the research is the exchange of information, particularly loss numbers and geographical locations. A Lobster Health Hotline has been established by the DMR to collect more information from the industry, as well as samples of weak lobsters. The researchers are continuing efforts to monitor lobster pounds and buying stations, and are obtaining as many weak animals as possible for experiments to better understand the problem. No consistent pathogens have been seen as of yet, but studies are ongoing to examine the blood and tissues of weak lobsters for any evidence, and to understand any environmental or population effects.

It is extremely important to stress that the lobster health problem does not affect the quality or safety of market lobsters. Lobsters are subjected to an extensive quality-assurance program monitored by the FDA, and our scientific understanding of the problem provides more evidence that this is not a human health concern.

The future goal of this project is to establish a long-term lobster health monitoring program to prevent losses within the industry. Information from the industry is essential. Please call the Lobster Health Hotline at 888-317-4666 or Maya Crosby directly at 563-3146 x241 with any information or samples.

Friends of the Lobster Institute group forming

Date:8/17/98

Friends of the Lobster Institute is organizing for both lobster industry and those that are interested in survival of the lobster and lobstering to take an active part. for mor information e mail willb@leatherloft.com

Commentary by Bill Adler, Director of Massachusetts Lobster men's Assn

Date:9/8/98

PROTECTING THE LANDSCAPE IN THE OCEAN

The Federal Fishery's Council has just concluded a series of public hearings aimed at receiving comments on proposed provisions to protect the marine habitat necessary for the recovery of a variety of fish species, Lobster, although not included in this first round of proposals will likely be the object of a future proposal. The habitat debate has resulted in discussions as to Just what is Essential lish Habitat (EFH) and within that category, what is a Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC). Protecting necessary areas from destruction by aggressive fishing techniques certainly is a step in the right direction. There are however some thorns and possibly an omission that if not addressed properly by the managers could cause problems for many fishermen as well as this campaign to save habitat.

The Council's proposed EFH amendment bumped up against the first thom when it proposed shutting down some spots In the big ocean to all fishing gear. This includes lobster traps. To accept the premise that this will protect fish habitat in those areas suggests that any one of those types of gear could damage that habitat. As we know, lobster traps and some other types of gear don't damage habitat. Traps, for example, don't tear up the bottom. They actually provide feeding stations and in some cases, It could be argued, even enhance the habitat. This seemingly minor proposed closure for some little area somewhere out in the vast sea garden has however some serious implications because if It is adopted, the same argument could be used on lamer areas closer to shore. The Environmental "industry" will surely be quick to pick up this watering bucket as a way to close down as much of the ocean as possible.

Another thorn in the underwater scenery program is one the Council may be backing Into and one may wonder if its treads will bog down in this mound of mud. Protecting some fish habitat also means assuming that other areas not under the same protection are okay to "go do your thing". What If those areas are essential habitat for something else, say for example, coble bottom for small lobsters'? Will essential lobster habitat suffer if destructive fishing operations are re-routed to those areas? This could prove to be a real slippery slope on the ocean floor.

One could argue that the whole ocean is important fish habitat and certainly to a point that is true but it must be remembered that there are areas more essential then others and to its credit, the Council is trying to narrow the field by its use of the terms "essential" and "areas of particular concern".

The omission part of this will only surface if the Councils' habitat amendment fails to address non-fishing sources of habitat destruction. Outfall discharges are producing "cleaner water" under mandates from the Clean Water Act but In some cases this can mean sterile water as well. While these discharges may or may not kill marine creatures and plant life, they certainly have the ability to drive creatures away and upset a balanced and productive habitat. Is this not habitat destruction too'? What If it is essential fish habitat? It has been mentioned that the lishery Management Council's job Is only to deal with fishing activities and not land based operations. This is a cop-out and nothing less. The habitat and fish are in the ocean waters and these waters make up the Council's garden. Outfall pipes discharge Into that same garden. Are we going to try to protect that garden or not.

We would urge the Federal Council and NMFS to drop any plans to close areas to lobster trap fishing or for that matter to close out any other non-destructive fishing activity in the name of habitat protection.

We would also urge these managers to take a hard line against any land based source, such as treatment plant discharges, if it disrupts or destroys habitat essential for the development of healthy marine resources.

Does it matter who or what is driving the bulldozer through the flower garden?

V notching in LFA 34i

in Canada

Date:9/30/98

LOBSTER FISHING AREA 34

CONSERVATION HARVESTING PLAN

FOR

THE 1998-1999 SEASON

Background and Rationale

In December of 1997, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, David Anderson, asked Atlantic Canadian fishermen to be proactive on lobster conservation by doubling egg production over the next two to three years. Fishermen in Lobster Fishing Area 34 (LFA 34 - Southwest Nova Scotia) responded by organizing a series of meetings to address lobster conservation. Two workshops organized by a fishermen's steering committee played a particularly important role in developing a conservation harvesting plan. The workshops brought together up to 80 fishermen at one time, First Nations representatives, DFO scientists, and provincial government officials to consider the scientific and conservation dimensions of the lobster fishery.

During the course of the workshops three themes emerged as essential in determining the direction of lobster conservation in LFA 34.

The first theme was the uniqueness of LFA 34 as a lobster district. The actual fishing grounds are enormous, encompassing over 21,000 square kilometres within 50 miles of shore. There are thousands more square kilometres beyond 50 miles in LFA 41 where only 8 offshore lobster boats are permitted to fish. The closed area on Browns Bank alone is larger than some entire LFAs. At the same time, with close to a thousand license holders spread over hundreds of kilometres of coastline, fishing conditions and patterns vary greatly from one part of the district to another. The timing of the fishing season is also quite crucial to understanding LFA 34. Not only is the fishery closed for six months, but the fishery opens at the time (end of November) when lobsters have moved or are moving offshore and closes (end of May) just as lobster begin to move inshore again in large numbers. This not only means that lobsters are protected from fishing effort when they are most concentrated on inshore grounds but also means that an

understanding of fishing effort on the middle (midshore) grounds, up to 50 miles, is critical for assessing lobster population dynamics.

The second theme was the uncertainty associated with the stock assessment for LFA 34. This uncertainty stems from the unique characteristics of thc region as discussed above. Scientific data based on lobster landings provides measures of lobster abundance at a time when they are less present in inshore waters. There is very little data on what is happening when lobsters are inshore en masse and breeding. Similarly, landings data tells only in which port lobsters are landed and not where they arc caught. Thus there is no information on fishing location and therefore, no reliable information on the very large midshore area. This makes full assessment impossible (as noted in draft Stock Status Report of DFO Science). In effect, there is no reliable information on the existing level of egg production in LFA 34. It also follows that it is not known if that level needs to be doubled, and what would constitute a doubling of egg production.

The third theme follows from the second. The fishermen and their organizations believe that a major scientific initiative is required to resolve the uncertainties associated with the assessment of LFA 34 lobster populations. They also believe that such an initiative will succeed only if fishermen are full partners with DFO Science. This initiative, especially as it pertains to the enhanced responsibility of lobster fishermen and their organizations, also requires a new institutional structure to oversee the project and a new financial structure to ensure adequate funding.

Conservation Harvesting Plan

Existing Conservation Measures

All of the existing elements of the conservation harvesting plan will be maintained. These elements include the following:

1. Open season from last Monday in November to May 31st.

2. Trap limit of 375 traps in the fall and 400 in spring (Category A).

3. Minimum carapace size of 81 millimetres (3 3/16 inches).

4. Prohibition on the capture of egg-bearing ("berried") females.

5. Escape hatches and vents on lobster traps.

6. Biodegradable panels on traps.

7. Year-round closure of Brown's Bank to lobster fishing.

8. Prohibition on the dragging of lobsters.

9. Fishing restricted to vessels less than 45 feet in LOA.

10. Owner-operator requirement.

11. Logbook.

New Conservation Measures

Lobster fishermen in LFA 34 have decided that v-notching is the most effective means to increase egg production as a precautionary approach to lobster conservation. By v-notching egg-bearing females and by prohibiting the landing of those v-notched lobsters, fishermen are

protecting females from capture when they are not carrying eggs and thus allowing them to reproduce at least a second or a third time. The benefits of a v-notching programme increase with the number of egg-bearing females that are v-notched. Thus, an essential clement of this plan includes the v-notching of egg-bearing females in a scientiflcfconservation fishery (see next section) during the month of June when the fishery is closed and when the number of egg-bearing females is at its highest.

An additional benefit to be derived from v-notching is the maintenance of a certain size of brood stock as a safeguard against a year class failure.

The new conservation measures include the following:

1. V-notching of all egg-bearing females during the lobster season (by industry agreement).

2. V-notching of all egg-bearing females caught during a comprehensive scientific fishery in June when the season is closed (by industry and DFO Science agreement).

3. Use of standard v-notching tool (by industry and DFO Science agreement).

4. Prohibition on the possession of v-notched lobsters in Canada (by regulation).

5. Expansion of logbook to include data on area of capture and v-notching (by condition of license).

Scientific Initiatives

In order to move substantially toward a resolution of the uncertainty surrounding the assessment of lobster stocks and levels of egg production in LFA 34, the lobster fishermen and their organizations commit themselves to a scientific research initiative in cooperation with scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This initiative would be carried out during the month of June and would involve the deployment of 10 vessels strategically located throughout LFA 34. Each vessel would be operated with a professional fisher and scientist (or scientific intern) on board and the following tasks would be carried out:

1. Check lobster traps every day.

2. Count v-notched lobsters.

3. Sex lobsters.

4. Measure lobsters.

5. Tag lobsters as necessary for scientific study.

6. V-notch all egg-bearing females captured (see previous section).

In addition, lobster fishermen, DFO scientists and managers would jointly develop a plan to study the Brown's Bank closure in order to:

1. Document the contribution of Brown's Bank to the conservation of lobstcrs in LFA 34 and other LFAs.

2. Find ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Brown's Bank closure.

3. Consider an extension of the Brown's Bank closure over a larger area.

Evaluation and Reassessment of Conservation Harvesting Plan

In September of 1999, a lobster workshop would be held to review and evaluate the conservation harvesting plan. Participants in the workshop would include lobster fishermen and their organizational representatives, DFO scientists and managers, First Nations representatives, and provincial government officials. The purpose of the workshop would be to:

1. Review and assess data collected during the fishing season through logbooks and other methods.

2. Review and assess data collected during the June scientific fishery.

3. To review the current state of knowledge concerning lobster populations and egg production in LFA 34.

4. Review the findings of the Brown's Bank study and make follow-up recommendations.

5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the v-notching programme in increasing egg production.

6. Undertake a consideration of other measures to increase egg production in Year 2. if it is clear that v-notching is not enough.

Institutional and Financial Considerations

In order to effectuate all of the changes described above, there is a need to provide a supportive institutional and financial framework. Lobster fishermen in LFA 34 therefore propose:

1. The Fisheries Science Centre, in consultation with the LFA 34 Advisory Committee and the DFO, to be responsible for coordinating, directing, and funding the cooperative scientific initiatives, and

2. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans must reinvest resources in partnership with the industry to reflect the importance of this fishery. Total O&M invested by the Department in this fishery is currently less than 10K a year compared to the landed value of $ lOOM per annum.

It is therefore proposed that a portion of the $1 .8M of license fees collected annually be returned to establish a Lobster Conservation Council made up of elected fisher representatives. The mandate of the council would be as follows:

- coordinate lobster biological studies

- promote lobster conservation to the industry and public sector

- promote improved quality control and value added initiatives

- provide a forum of industry/government partnerships initiatives

-. develop long term planning for the fishery

Once established through core funding with license fee contributions other sources of funding would be sought through private and public contributions, i.e., processors, NRC, ACOA, etc.

Friends of the Lobster Institute group forming

Date:9/17/98

LOBSTER FISHING AREA 34