Homarus americanus

Conservation

American lobster have long been a vital species for New Jersey Industry whether it pertains to the recreational diver or the commercial pot fisherman.  American lobster are targeted as a food resource and is highly prized for its claw and tail meat.  Commercially, it is one of the most valuable fisheries along the Atlantic coast with over 120 million pounds harvested in 2020.  While the majority of those landed are attributed to the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GB), there has been and continues to be a fishery located in the New York Bight.

American lobster are managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) throughout its range.  The species is broken up into two separate stocks: the GOM/GB and Southern New England (SNE), which covers South of GB down to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  As referenced in the ASMFC’s latest 2020 Stock Assessment, the GOM/GB continues to see a high stock abundance, and recruitment into the fishery remains at near record high estimates.  The SNE stock, which incorporates New Jersey waters, has seen stock abundance steeply decline since the early 2000’s, as well as recruitment failure within the entire SNE range.  Based on exploitation models with the Stock Assessment, these declines are determined to not be a result of overfishing but based on environmental conditions.  These conditions have shown to be unfavorable for lobster and larval survival.

The New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife continues to conduct multiple surveys which characterize American lobster.  The Ocean Stock Assessment Program records length, weight, and sex data associated with American lobster encountered in its otter trawl.  Additionally, an at-sea observer program has been conducted since 2008, which comprises of observers boarding commercial vessels to collect a suite of biological information.  Data collected includes, but is not restricted to length, weight, sex, development of eggs in females, and shell condition.  Both the Ocean Stock Assessment Program and at-sea observer program are used in the ASMFC’s stock assessment process.  Lastly, a ventless trap survey was initiated in 2016 to characterize production on several Artificial Reefs managed by NJ Fish and Wildlife.  Biological information collected mirrors parameters that are collected on the at-sea observer program. While the fate of American lobster within it’s SNE stock may be unknown, the continued collection of robust data will help scientists and fishery managers adapt and prepare for the effects that environmental conditions may have on other stocks associated within New Jersey waters.



More information on this species can be found below:

Description

• yellow or yellowish red, molted with green or blue
• body cylindrical and smooth
• long antenna measure 2 inches in length and split in “Y” shape structures with pointed tips
• shorter antenna  
• pair of legs that are armed with large asymmetric pair of claws
• 3 pairs of walking legs
• powerful fan tail

Size

• up to 25 inches and 44 pounds

Range

• most abundant from Maine to Massachusetts
• in offshore areas from Maine through Virginia

 Facts

• typically lives in cold, shallow depths of water 13-160 feet
• molt about 25 times the first 5-7 years of their life
• feeds on bottom living fishes and crustaceans
• regenerates some of their body parts as needed; claws, walking legs, and antennae
• inshore/offshore migration