Lobster Fishery Confronts Major Crisis; Officials Plan Strict Conservation Limits
Mark Alan Lovewell

With the American lobster in short supply in Vineyard
waters, the state and federal governments are in the early
stages of considering new minimum sizes and catch limits.
Hearings are planned for later this summer.

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It’s a Good Time to Buy Lobster, as Prices Plummet; Fishermen Worry About Future

The bottom has fallen out of the wholesale lobster market, which is bad news for the lobstermen and good news for consumers.

The price being paid to lobstermen at the dock is at a 20-year low, according to Bill Adler, the executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. He said the problem is tied to the economy and an oversupply of lobsters.

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Lobster Stocks Found Failing
Mark Alan Lovewell

Due to a combination of climate change creating warmer water conditions and continued pressure from fishing, lobster stocks in southern New England have been badly depleted, and a five-year moratorium is needed for recovery.

This is the recommendation of a technical panel for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in a report discussed last week.

“Overwhelming environmental and biological changes coupled with continued fishing greatly reduce the likelihood of southern New England stock rebuilding,” the report said.

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State Fisheries Director Nixes Lobster Hatchery Revival Idea
Mark Alan Lovewell

A top state fisheries official told a Vineyard gathering on Friday afternoon that it is not feasible to restore the 61-year-old state lobster hatchery — at least not for raising young lobsters for release.

“We have no evidence that we did enhance the wild population to any significant degree at all,” said Paul Diodati, director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. “That and the cost in the past 10 years of government has become a real concern. Funding has withered,” he added.

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Lobster Decline Leads Fisheries Discussion; Commission Votes to Curb Menhaden Harvest
Mark Alan Lovewell

By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

In four days of marathon meetings in Boston this week, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) covered the status of many fish in these waters, including menhaden, horseshoe crabs, fluke and black sea bass. Lobster and the striped bass were at the top of the list, though.

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Lobster Hatchery Rehab Is Approved

An overhaul of the shuttered state lobster hatchery in Oak Bluffs has been approved by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and the commonwealth will now invest a significant sum of money to rehabilitate the facility for use by the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, Cape and Islands Rep. Timothy Madden announced yesterday.

Mr. Madden said the state DMF has agreed to invest at least $250,000 in the project in phases. Work began this week to replace the plumbing in the old hatchery that sits on the eastern side of the Lagoon Pond in Oak Bluffs.

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If Life Gives You No Lobsters, Make Oysters the Aquaculture Way
Mark Alan Lovewell

M. Emmett Carroll Jr. has seen change on the waterfront, from the days when lobsters were bountiful to now when they seem scarce. He has kept his faith by dancing with new ideas, shifting his attention to raising oysters. He runs Menemsha Oysters, pretty much a one-man aquaculture operation which involves raising and harvesting some of the Island’s tastiest oysters.

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Here Come the Bonito
Mark Alan Lovewell

Atlantic bonito are here. After rumblings over the last two weeks, reports are coming in that the summer’s fastest swimmers have entered Island waters. We’ve heard that Atlantic bonito, which usually reside in warmer waters, have been taken at The Hooter, a buoy that marks Muskeget Channel.

Capt. Porky Francis of Edgartown said he also is hearing reports that bonito are being taken at Hedge Fence, a shoal that is off Oak Bluffs.

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Tall Lobster Tail

From Gazette editions of April, 1987: A monster lobster was landed this week by the 75-foot fishing boat Unicorn out of Menemsha. Capt. Gregory Mayhew and his mate Dominique Penicaud came ashore with a 17-pound male lobster

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Steamed Lobster

Steamed Lobster

1 1/2 pound lobsters (one per person)

Unsalted butter

Salted butter

Lemon juice

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