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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 35 Number 7
March 2008
Maine 2007 lobster landings and value drop
WEST BOOTHBAY HARBOR, ME – Preliminary 2007 lobster landings released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) on Feb. 19 confirmed what almost every lobsterman in the state already knew. The catch was down last year and, in some areas, it was down by a lot.
Early figures put 2007 landings at roughly 56 million pounds valued at $249 million. That represents a 23% drop in poundage and a 16% drop in value from 2006.
“We knew it was coming, but it’s still hard,” said DMR Commissioner George Lapointe. “It’s a significant decline.”
Hancock and Knox counties appeared to be the hardest hit, but landings were off just about everywhere.
“We’ve been hearing about people who are stressed trying to make boat payments and keep up with expenses,” said Lapointe. “And it’s all true. It’s roughly $50 million less into family incomes in our coastal communities.”
However, Lapointe was quick to note that the fishery was not in a crisis mode.
“There’s cause for concern, but the sky is not falling,” he said. “We have a good representation of biological characteristics. We have v-notch lobsters, we have eggers, and we have oversize lobsters.”
Scientists who monitor lobster settlement predicted the current downturn. Baby lobsters that settle in a given year generally show up in the catch roughly seven years later, and good settlement typically translates into good landings. Settlement was down roughly a decade ago, and that’s now being reflected in the lower catch.
The good news is that settlement is back up again, which bodes well for the future. But the fishery won’t rebound overnight, said Lapointe.
“We all need to get together to talk about how we prosecute this fishery and whether we need to make changes,” he said.
Preliminary numbers
Preliminary 2006 statistics released a year ago indicated that Maine lobstermen landed 66.6 million pounds. But once late dealer data trickled in, landings increased by over 6 million pounds, and the final 2006 tally was roughly 72.7 million pounds worth $297 million.
Lobstermen should not expect to see a similar jump this year because preliminary 2007 figures already reflect an 85% reporting rate from dealers who provide landings information, which means there’ll be far less late data to add to the final figures.
According to the DMR, recent landings data cannot be directly compared with historical data because mandatory reporting by dealers only came on line in 2004.
However, based on port sampling surveys, the DMR said 2007 landings were “the lowest recorded since 1997” and marked a 40% decline from 2003’s peak landings.
Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, acknowledged that the drop in landings has heavily impacted many lobstermen.
“There definitely are some people who are doing pretty well and are making money, but overall, it’s been a big hit for almost everyone,” she said.
Encouraged by the upswing in the settlement index, McCarron said, “In a few years, we’ll start to see things bump back up.”
But meanwhile, the downturn has been sobering in terms of economics.
“The 1990s and early 2000s were unprecedented in terms of profits,” McCarron said. “But now the fishery is more marginal. The price for our product has really leveled off, while the price of everything else, especially fuel and bait, has gone up.”
McCarron continued, “Now we need to be more astute businessmen and take a closer look at the constraints to profitability. We need to start thinking in terms of, ‘What does it cost to be out there on the water vs. what will I get for my catch when I get back.’”
Janice M. Plante
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