January 12, 2015 — Fresh-caught Maine lobster might be a little more affordable this winter because the continued shutdown of the state’s shrimp season is keeping some lobstermen at sea deeper into the winter than usual.
Many Maine lobstermen use the shrimp season as a source of income during the winter, when lobsters are both in lower demand and harder to catch. But regulators have shut down the shrimp season for two straight years because of a collapsed shrimp population.
Lobster fishermen, dealers and processors said it remains to be seen whether the number of lobstermen remaining in the fishery in the winter will have a big effect on the winter lobster catch. Some said a heavy supply of winter lobsters could drive price down, while others are skeptical – exchange rates, Canadian catch, and demand in Europe and Asia are among the other factors that can play big roles in determining winter prices.
Read the full story from the Concord Monitor