The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) sided with New England lobstermen and voted to repeal the proposed increase to the minimum allowable cast size of lobsters in the Gulf of Maine.

On Friday, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries announced at the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association meeting that it would join Maine and New Hampshire in rejecting the gauge increase.

Maine and New Hampshire decided to withdraw the increase following strong opposition from the fishing community in both states. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell called for the repeal of the gauge increase. In a letter to ASMFC on Feb. 3, Mayor Mitchell warned that the rule would place U.S. lobster fishermen at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to Canadian counterparts.

New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) COO Dustin Delano commented on the final decision, “NEFSA thanks the commission for hearing the voice of lobstermen. Raising catch sizes at this time would bankrupt many lobstermen and surrender the U.S. market to foreign competitors. NEFSA is grateful that the commission has chosen to support our historic trade, which contributes billions to New England’s economy and shapes the character of the region.”

Timeline of events for the proposed increase, or Addendum 27:

  1. ASMFC Lobster Board passed Addendum 27, which entailed implementing a gauge increase from 3 ¼ inches to 3 5/16 inches in response to juvenile lobsters reaching a 35 percent decline. The increase was initiated in 2017 as a proactive measure.
  2. The 2024 Lobster Institute’s U.S.- Canada Lobster Town Meeting opened dialogue within the Northeastern U.S. and Canada lobster industry. Multiple representatives from lobster processing facilities shared that the changes to the minimum gauge size and subsequent loss of landings would impact their facilities.
  3. Congressman Jared Golden introduced a bipartisan amendment to block the proposed gauge increase for one year.
  4. ASMFC officially voted to delay the planned gauge increase in LMA 1 to give lobstermen more time to prepare. The increase was originally slated to take effect on June 1, 2024, but got pushed to January 1, 2025.
  5. Delayed a second time: ASMFC voted 9-1 to delay Addendum 27 until July 1, 2025.
  6. Many passionate debates occurred at public meetings and on social media among commercial fishermen regarding the proposed size limit changes. A Maine Department of Marine Resources meeting in August was an epicenter of the controversy. Tensions reached a boiling point when Commissioner Keliher responded in a moment of frustration.
  7. The states of Maine and New Hampshire announced their decisions to withdraw the proposed gauge increase following opposition from the fishing community. Massachusetts announced that it still supports the increase.
  8. Massachusetts announced on January 31 that it will join Maine and New Hampshire in rejecting the gauge.
  9. ASMFC voted to repeal the gauge increase.

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Carli is a Content Specialist for National Fisherman. She comes from a fourth-generation fishing family off the coast of Maine. Her background consists of growing her own business within the marine community. She resides on one of the islands off the coast of Maine while also supporting the lobster community she grew up in.

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