Commission to curb lobster landings

Through no fault of their own, Rhode Island lobstermen find themselves trying to survive in what has been a contracting industry. In fact, a combination of factors threatens the very survival of many in the industry.
The trend is irrefutable. Over the last 10 years the pounds of lobster caught in the Ocean State has steadily decreased as has its market value. In 2000, lobstermen caught approximately 6 million pounds of lobster with a value of $28 million, according to officials at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Last year their catch of 3 million pounds was worth $12 million, still the highest-valued seafood caught by Rhode Island fishermen in 2010.
In November, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission announced its intentions to enact a 10 percent reduction in lobster landings because its most recent study, in 2009, indicated the southern New England area – from New Jersey to Provincetown, Mass. – showed depleted stocks, low repopulation and high mortality rates over the last several years.
The problem isn’t new; in 2010, ASMFC considered a five-year moratorium and in spring 2011 proposed a 50 to 75 percent landing reduction.
A decision by the commission on how the reduction will be achieved is expected in February. The commission is the regulatory body for lobster landings in the 15-state Atlantic region from Maine to Florida.
Statistics in the report conclude that the fishery is not being depleted by lobstermen, thanks in part to pro-active regulations. The resource is the victim of a variety of problems; warmer ocean temperatures, the presence of mosquito pesticides and other pollutants in stormwater runoff, shell disease and predation by growing finfish stocks are all considered to be factors in the declining population. Combined with the 1996 North Cape oil spill of more than 800,000 gallons of home heating fuel off the coast of South Kingstown, the fishery has been strained. William McElroy, 65, of South Kingstown, knows the story all too well. As a commissioner with ASMFC, he participated in the decision-making process, including developing a long-range plan to stop the downward trend. He is also a practicing lobsterman, having operated out of Point Judith for the last 37 years.
“All the evidence shows that the lobster stock is low and the guys’ wallets say the same thing,” McElroy said. “We do question some of the science because many of their survey stations are closer than three miles to shore and they don’t have too many farther out than that. There’s room for improvement but there’s no doubt that the lobster resources are much diminished from their heyday.”
The corrective plan of action calls for a two-phase approach, one designed to have an immediate impact and the second to address the long-term needs. The reduction would start in January 2013 and would most likely take the form of a closed season from January – April, a period representing 10 percent of the state’s landings.
A lifelong lobsterman, McElroy is also seeing the business he has loved so much struggle to survive. He said many lobstermen are of retirement age and are leaving the fishery. Younger lobstermen are looking toward multiuse permits in order to diversify their catch to survive. A natural equilibrium is being reached.
The second phase is still being developed but he speculated lobstermen would have their trap allotments reduced 5 to 10 percent per year over five years. A new trap-transfer process would enable lobstermen to buy allotments from retiring lobstermen, helping them compensate for the loss. He is hopeful the action will help retiring lobstermen with their finances.
The state, which manages lobsters in Rhode Island waters under ASMFC’s guidance, has already proposed its lobster-management plan for 2012. It recommends no new lobster licenses to be issued, in view of the fishery’s poor status. &#8226

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