{"id":22443,"date":"2025-05-12T13:27:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T13:27:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.selinawamucii.com\/news\/?p=22443"},"modified":"2025-05-12T13:27:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T13:27:49","slug":"the-maine-lobster-industry-finally-retains-standard-gauge-size","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.selinawamucii.com\/news\/2025\/05\/12\/the-maine-lobster-industry-finally-retains-standard-gauge-size\/","title":{"rendered":"The Maine lobster industry finally retains standard gauge size"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is all smiles for the lobster industry of Maine after the repeal of a controversial standard gauge resize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) via its American Lobster Management Board on May 5 passed Addendum XXXII<\/u><\/a>. As a section of Amendment 3, it replaces the erstwhile Addendum XXVII, across 11 lobster states. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addendum XXVII of October 2023 sought to increase the sizes of gauge and escape vents to combat falling lobster numbers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Declining Gulf of Maine\u2019s lobster stock by 40% in 2023 versus that of the 2016-18 period accelerated the resize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 27 [XXVII] would have increased the minimum catch size of 3.25 inches by 1 1\/16 inches. Fishermen use a gauge to measure the length of the crustacean from the eye to the tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobster measuring 3.25 inches long weigh around 1 pound while those 3.3125 inches long weigh over a pound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the 1-pounders command the American lobster market<\/u><\/a>, they could have been eliminated by Addendum XXVII.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After much contention, the ASMFC\u2019s board finally cancelled the size increase<\/u><\/a> on February 4, 2025. This meant fishers would no longer have to throw market-ready lobster back into the deeps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 27 would have come into effect on January 1, 2025 before its postponement to July 1, 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its repeal, it won\u2019t be long before the eleven states that include Maine know the newest measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), Carl Wilson, ASMFC is developing a remedial survey<\/u><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on the survey\u2019s outcomes, DPR will work with the entire Maine lobster sector, along with fishermen\u2019s associations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in line with President Trump\u2019s ultimatum to open up fisheries, Atlantic states are about to enjoy standard size retention. Below statistics extend this topic further by broadly examining the U.S.\u2019 lobster gauge size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maine Lobster Industry Gauge Size Statistics <\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since 1874 when the first rule on the minimum catch size came up, Maine\u2019s lobstermen have been using gauges. The 1874 rule was quite dictatorial for it put the legal minimum size at 10.5 inches<\/u><\/a> long, which all but eliminated canners. In the current times, the minimum size is at 3.25 inches while the maximum 5 inches long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is the most popular market size lobster<\/strong>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current minimum catch size in the United States of 3.25 inches or 82.5 mm doubles as the most popular. It weighs just below 1 pound, which increases to 1.44 pounds when it molts, according to experts. Its total landings is 11%<\/u><\/a> of all American catches vis-\u00e1-vis 10% for medium length lobster of 83.5 mm long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would an increase in gauge size decrease lobster catches<\/strong>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the National Fisherman<\/u><\/a>, the erstwhile 1\/16th<\/sup> inch gauge length increase would have decreased landings by 3.6%.  It could also have added 5% in the total weight per catch, unsuitable for a market that buys in small portions. However, the measure would have reduced exploitation of young lobster from Maine\u2019s waters by 14.4%<\/u><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do most lobsters weigh as low as gauge size limits put them<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a lobster is too small or too big, under Atlantic States\u2019 rules, it has to return to the ocean. Yet, some lobster can weigh 40 pounds and measure as long as 3 feet. One of the biggest Atlantic catches was a 44-pound<\/u><\/a> monster in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1977. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is all smiles for the lobster industry of Maine after the repeal of a controversial standard gauge resize. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) via its American Lobster Management Board on May 5 passed Addendum XXXII. As a section of Amendment 3, it replaces the erstwhile Addendum XXVII, across 11 lobster states.  Addendum XXVII…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19453,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Maine lobster industry finally retains standard gauge size - Selina Wamucii | Food & Agriculture News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.selinawamucii.com\/news\/2025\/05\/12\/the-maine-lobster-industry-finally-retains-standard-gauge-size\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Maine lobster industry finally retains standard gauge size - Selina Wamucii | Food & Agriculture News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It is all smiles for the lobster industry of Maine after the repeal of a controversial standard gauge resize. 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