National Sea Grant College Program Grant: American Lobster Fishery Resilience and Research

The National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020, Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual capacity of the nation’s universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate opportunities in coastal communities.

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is one of the most iconic modern American fisheries. It continues to be one of the largest and most valuable fisheries along the Atlantic coast with commercial landings valued at $524.5 million dollars in 2020. The 2020 stock assessment conducted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission indicated record high stock abundance in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, as well as record low abundance and continued recruitment failures in Southern New England. However, recent research and regulatory changes have combined to produce an ecologically mixed and economically complex picture about the current and future state of the American lobster fishery.

Recent regulatory changes modifying the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (FR–210827–0171) in 2021 have introduced significant operational and economic uncertainties to the lobster industry. These changes impact how and where the lobster industry operates, placing additional pressures on fishing communities. The American Lobster fishery’s sustainability relies both on economic resiliency of the industry and ecological understanding of the species. Collaborative approaches that build bridges and support partnerships among industry, State agencies, and/or academia are needed to assist lobster fishers and resource managers advance resilience through gear technology implementation, research, and adoption.

In FY22, consistent with its mission to enhance practical use and conservation in order to create a sustainable economy and environment, Sea Grant’s American Lobster Research Program will fund collaborative projects that support partnerships among industry, State agencies, and/or academia to address priority issues involving applied research and/or technological questions impacting the lobster fishery as outlined in this funding opportunity.

The National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020, Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual capacity of the nation’s universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate opportunities in coastal communities.

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is one of the most iconic modern American fisheries. It continues to be one of the largest and most valuable fisheries along the Atlantic coast with commercial landings valued at $524.5 million dollars in 2020. The 2020 stock assessment conducted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission indicated record high stock abundance in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, as well as record low abundance and continued recruitment failures in Southern New England. However, recent research and regulatory changes have combined to produce an ecologically mixed and economically complex picture about the current and future state of the American lobster fishery.

Recent regulatory changes modifying the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (FR–210827–0171) in 2021 have introduced significant operational and economic uncertainties to the lobster industry. These changes impact how and where the lobster industry operates, placing additional pressures on fishing communities. The American Lobster fishery’s sustainability relies both on economic resiliency of the industry and ecological understanding of the species. Collaborative approaches that build bridges and support partnerships among industry, State agencies, and/or academia are needed to assist lobster fishers and resource managers advance resilience through gear technology implementation, research, and adoption.

In FY22, consistent with its mission to enhance practical use and conservation in order to create a sustainable economy and environment, Sea Grant’s American Lobster Research Program will fund collaborative projects that support partnerships among industry, State agencies, and/or academia to address priority issues involving applied research and/or technological questions impacting the lobster fishery as outlined in this funding opportunity.