Lobster

Need for Biodiversity

Record landings and prices from the mid 1980s through 2004, in addition to revolutionary and successful conservation measures to sustain the species, have made the lobster a potent symbol of Maine as a place that balances a high quality of life with abundant and wisely managed natural resources. The romanticized image in the media of the “rugged, independent” lobsterman has also contributed to the industry’s iconic status. But times are changing, with higher diesel and bait prices putting many fishing families under financial stress.

A dependence on harvesting a single species is by its nature economically risky and ecologically questionable.  While conservation measures, such as trap limits, size limits, and prohibitions against selling or buying egg-producing females, help prevent overfishing, they cannot prevent diseases, market forces, and other factors capable of significantly changing the industry.  The Island Institute brings resources to help year-round island and working-waterfront communities continue to harvest lobster in a sustainable way; we also provide assistance to individuals who want to develop skills that can diversify the industry and enable them to better handle industry fluctuations.