Is Lobster Harvesting Sustainable?

[mainebrokerman]

The mainstream media was leg humping the
Environmentalists
On the gulf of Maine water temps increasing more and faster
Than anywhere else

After a doom and gloom Armageddon report on the end of lobsters as we know it

Towards. The the end of the report a marine scientist said in 100 years the harvest may be affected by 3 to 5%

not one mention of how the harvest has increased over 40% in the last 10 years and perhaps because of the water warming up
Never ever speak a positive on global warming or water warming up ????

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"No crises, but interested in understanding the economy and factors that bear on such an important industry."

OK. It's supply and demand. Lobstermen will buy the most effective bait at the lowest cost. Yes, they do consider the cost of transportation. Cost of bait at the pier and effectiveness of that bait are the considerations. Years ago, when I worked in the mill at Bucksport, office people in the mill went home for lunch. A lady was driving south on Main Street and stopped to turn left and a dump truck behind her slammed on the brakes. Couple of tins of slimy lobster bait slid up over the cab and onto Main Street.

The driver exercised his only option. The situation was going to get worse so he made a run for it. Most of the flies from Waldo and Hancock Counties came for the event.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by skateklister

No crises, but interested in understanding the economy and factors that bear on such an important industry. Again, this question came to mind when a friend told me he was traveling up to NB with another friend to buy bait fish. Then I wondered why they had to travel all that way. I considered that lobster fishing is something like farming, and wondered if it were not for lobster fishing would we have all these lobsters, and whether it's only because bait fish are brought in from some distance that we have all those lobsters in our bay.

As to the fact that this issue was brought up before at places like conferences, it makes sense that it would be. It's a valid inquiry, obviously, and desearves consideration.

I still don't now what the answer is, or if there is one specific answer. There may so many factors, and each region may be so unique that there is no answer.

The question might be similar to: "Would country X have so many people if it weren't for agriculture and the ability to import products to that country?"

Lobsters were coming into shallow waters long before there was people fishing for them. The small amount of bait in the traps has nothing to do with getting lobsters to come into the bays. It's not the bait that brings them in.

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I went to the Gulf of Maine Confrence back around 1995. It was a plush affair put on by the environmental industry at the Samoset. Among the topics discussed was making the Gulf of Maine a "non-extractive marine reserve". That is no fishing of any kind; no shellfish, no crustaceans and no fin fish. You couldn't even go worming. As the environmental industry writes in their own publications, "no human use" of our natural resources. Skateklister uses terms from those publications.

I'll bet you stood there with your fingers in your ears going "LALALALALALA!!!" And I sincerely doubt the veracity of your anti-environmental chants. The predators of the young lobster are gone, and I'll bet dollars to donuts that lack of groundfish has caused a large part of any increase in populations. Wiped out by industrialist fishing, just like the yellowfin, blackfin and Bluefin tuna around the world. Lobsters were also found to be disappearing where the noveau urchin industry was scouring the bottom in the Reach, Blue Hill Bay and other areas. What does it matter to you, with this greedy, consumptive "anything for a buck" credo? Nothing. Take it, take it now, and run your straightpipe from the toilet to the lake or river. It'll save a few bucks. It's all Obama's fault anyway, that guy from Kenya. Besides, with the vociferous support of the your white hooded co-constituents, maybe we can roll back all those pesky environmental regulations. Maybe "safety committees" won't be a figment of someone's imagination, either. Maybe someone's right to donate property to the Federal Government for parks and preservation or conservation for everyone's use can be reversed as well. Then we can drill baby drill, clearcut and pave and enrich the deserving few. P.T. Barnum's quote remains as telling today as the day he said it.

[kellysmith]

Originally Posted by Maineac

I'll bet you stood there with your fingers in your ears going "LALALALALALA!!!" And I sincerely doubt the veracity of your anti-environmental chants. The predators of the young lobster are gone, and I'll bet dollars to donuts that lack of groundfish has caused a large part of any increase in populations. Wiped out by industrialist fishing, just like the yellowfin, blackfin and Bluefin tuna around the world. Lobsters were also found to be disappearing where the noveau urchin industry was scouring the bottom in the Reach, Blue Hill Bay and other areas. What does it matter to you, with this greedy, consumptive "anything for a buck" credo? Nothing. Take it, take it now, and run your straightpipe from the toilet to the lake or river. It'll save a few bucks. It's all Obama's fault anyway, that guy from Kenya. Besides, with the vociferous support of the your white hooded co-constituents, maybe we can roll back all those pesky environmental regulations. Maybe "safety committees" won't be a figment of someone's imagination, either. Maybe someone's right to donate property to the Federal Government for parks and preservation or conservation for everyone's use can be reversed as well. Then we can drill baby drill, clearcut and pave and enrich the deserving few. P.T. Barnum's quote remains as telling today as the day he said it.

I think the only thing you missed was a mention of Global Warming disbelievers...

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"Then we can drill baby drill, clearcut and pave and enrich the deserving few. P.T. Barnum's quote remains as telling today as the day he said it."

Progressives get touchy when quoted.