Throughout the 1990s, the lobster catch is inconsistent and its future uncertain in large part due to fewer larvae settling on the ocean floor. Island Institute administers the Penobscot Bay Marine Resources Collaborative, a group of organizations studying the lobster lifecycle in Penobscot Bay.
Scientific investigation ensues, and with help from the Maine Geological Survey, Maine Department of Marine Resources, NOAA, and Bigelow Laboratory, Island Institute maps the geological and biological characteristics of the bay and develops a model to predict the settlement of lobster larvae.
178 lobstermen participate in the research, and the collaboration leads to the publication of Lobsters Great & Small, a document that integrates this data with anecdotes and visuals.
Photos: Peter Ralston
