Lobster Recruitment Index Project
Project Summary 
In 1999, the FSRS launched a Lobster Recruitment Index Project that includes over 150 participants from all Lobster Fishing Areas (LFAs) along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, spanning from Cape Breton to the Upper Bay of Fundy (LFAs 27-35). Through this project, volunteer fishermen use two to five project traps to count, sex, and measure the size of lobster they catch in these traps and record these data in logbooks. They also note if lobsters are berried, tagged and/or v-notched. A VEMCO minilog is also attached to one of their traps to record bottom temperature throughout the season.
Objectives
American lobster is an extremely important species to the Canadian East Coast fishery. This project was established to help increase research on this species to support lobster management. The data collected through this project helps to study changes in abundance of juvenile lobsters that will be recruited into the lobster fishery in the upcoming seasons. We hope that through this project, we will be able to predict, with some degree of uncertainty, any increases or declines for the commercial lobster fishery.
Years Ran
1999-Present
Other Related Projects
Currently, in addition to the Lobster Recruitment Index Project, LFA 33 is also recording the same data for 3 of their commercial traps. They are also required to complete a trap description sheet describing the commercial traps they are fishing.
Recent Results
Lobster Recruitment Trap Project – 2014-2015 Update
Lobster Recruitment Trap Project 2013-2014 Update
For additional information or to become more involved in this FSRS project, please contact the FSRS office at 1-800-226-3777.
