August 7, 2024 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) just voted to delay the planned gauge change to increase the minimum allowable catch size in Lobster Management Area 1 until July 1, 2025. The Commission also approved Addendum 30, which clarifies that lobsters imported from Canada under the U.S. minimum size would be banned.
The proposed gauge increase, known as Addendum 27, was a response to a 35 percent decline in juvenile lobsters. This proactive measure, initiated in 2017, was aimed at enhancing the resilience of lobster stock and was initially set to be implemented on June 1, 2024. However, following feedback from the Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioners and others, a compromise was reached, resulting in a seven-month delay and a new implementation date of Jan. 1, 2025.