Arlington, VA – A public hearing has been scheduled to gather input on Draft Addendum XXXI to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Draft Addendum considers postponing the implementation of Addendum XXVII gauge and escape vent size changes to July 1, 2025. One general hearing will be conducted via webinar and is open to all to participate.
Addendum XXVII was adopted in May 2023 and established a trigger mechanism to automatically implement management measures to provide additional protection of the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank (GOM/GBK) spawning stock biomass. Changes to the current gauge and escape vent sizes in Lobster Conservation Management Areas (LCMAs) 1, 3, and Outer Cape Cod (OCC) were triggered based on observed changes in recruit abundance indices in October 2023 with the inclusion of 2022 survey data in the trigger index. The Board then extended the implementation date to begin the series of changes to gauge and vent size by January 1, 2025, starting with an increase to the minimum gauge size in LCMA 1 from 3 ¼” to 3 5/16” to coordinate with Canada regarding possible trade implications, and give the industry and gauge makers additional time to prepare for these changes.
Based on a meeting held between US and Canadian lobster fishery managers and industry members in June 2024, the Board determined that postponing implementation of Addendum XXVII’s biological measures to July 1, 2025 would reduce negative impacts to the US and Canadian lobster industries in 2025 and allow Canada more time to consider implementing complementary management measures.
Thus, Draft Addendum XXXI considers postponing the changes in minimum gauge size for LCMA 1 (inshore Gulf of Maine), and the measures under Section 3.1 of Addendum XXVII to create a common size limit for state-only and federal permit holders fishing in OCC to July 1, 2025. The Draft Addendum does not consider postponing regulations prohibiting the issuance of 10% additional trap tags in Areas 1 and 3 above the trap limit or allocation.
Submitting Comments
The public is encouraged to submit comments at any time during the addendum process. The Draft Addendum is available at https://asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/AmLobsterDraftAddendumXXXI_PublicComment_Sept2024.pdf
or via the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/about-us/public-input. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on October 6, 2024 and should be sent to Caitlin Starks, Senior FMP Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; or to comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Lobster Draft Addendum XXXI).