27 lb lobster caught in Penobscot Bay off Rockland
I’m not going to try and pass this off as a news item since this happened in February, but I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to pass this along once I came across it. 27 lb lobster is not something we see every day here in Maine, or anywhere really.
As most lobster eaters know, the typical lobster size is 1-1.5 lbs. Here are some regulations for harvesting from the Maine Lobster Council:
“Maine harvesters have been environmentally conscious and “eco-friendly” since long before it became fashionable. They harvest their lobsters the same careful way they have for over 125 years — by hand, one trap at a time — thus protecting the quality of their product and the marine environment. Some rules and regulations that help ensure the health of the lobster resource include:
Tail Notching: Female lobsters with visible eggs cannot be harvested. Before releasing her, the harvester notches her tail to identify her as a good breeder, thus protecting her for life from being harvested.
Minimum Size Limit: Minimum 3 1/4″ carapace measurements allow juvenile lobsters the chance to mature and reproduce before they can be harvested.
Maximum Size Limit: Maximum 5″ carapace measurements protect the large, healthy breeding stock.
Apprentice Program: New harvesters must apprentice with veterans to learn the regulated, sustainable practices.
Trap Limits: The total number of traps per harvester is limited by both the state and the individual lobster zones.
Harvest Method: Harvesting in Maine is by trap only — no dragging or diving is allowed. Traps include escape vents for under size lobsters as well as biodegradable escape hatches to free lobsters in lost traps.
Lobster Seed Fund: Supported by license fees, the Fund purchases females that extrude their eggs after being harvested. This unique buy-back program helps to ensure that the good breeding stock is returned to the ocean to reproduce.”
