Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s American Lobster Management Board has approved Addendum VI to the American Lobster Plan. The Addendum directs Area 2 jurisdictions to work with their Lobster Conservation Management Team (LCMT) to modify the effort control plan as specified under Addendum
IV. The effort control plan must be designed so that all jurisdictions are capable of implementation and effort will not increase if and when the resource recovers in Area 2.
In December 2003, the Commission’s American Lobster Board passed Addendum IV, establishing an effort control plan for Area 2 (inshore southern New England). The Addendum was initiated to address significant stock declines in lobsters of all sizes in Area 2. Since passage of the Addendum, the Board has outlined several concerns with the plan, including the inability of several jurisdictions to implement portions of the plan and the initial trap allocation scheme. An analysis of the impacts of the trap allocation scheme in Addendum IV indicates it is ineffective at controlling trap growth over current levels. Also, the number of traps allocated to qualified applicants substantially increases compared to the number of traps currently issued under Addendum IV effort control plan.
Addendum VI withdraws the Addendum IV effort control plan except for two points – a prohibition on issuance of any new permits for Area 2 and the eligibility period for participation in the fishery. It also directs all jurisdictions with Area 2 permit holders and the Area 2 LCMT to develop a new effort control plan, capping effort at or near current levels with the potential to adjust the levels based on the outcome of the upcoming stock assessment. The new effort control plan is to be developed for review and approval by the American Lobster Management Board by August 2005.
Copies of Addendum VI are available via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.