Lobsters are one of the most sought after food sources in the United States, as well as a cultural icon in New England. It can be hard to believe that at one time in history, these species were not only less coveted and considered peasant food but also endangered until critical conservation efforts were implemented. These regulations take effect across 7 major zones, named Zones 1 through 6 as well as the Outer Cape Zone. These stretch from the Northern coasts of Maine down to the outer banks of North Carolina. Many of these policies are still in effect today and the lobster population is much healthier than it used to be as a result. With all of these great strides towards the conservation of this critical species, recent changes caused by global warming and political policies are harming the industry surrounding them, an industry that provides thousands of jobs to coastal communities.

During colonial times in America, lobster was plentiful and almost seen as garbage food that no decent man would eat. It was primarily fed to prisoners, slaves, servants, and even livestock. The name “Redcoats” that arose for British soldiers during the American Revolution was actually an insult to these soldiers, comparing them to lobsters. This began to change when in the 1860s, lobster and other seafood were canned and used as war rations during the Civil War. Another odd place lobster began to be commonly served was on trains during the early 1900s, as it was plentiful and easy to store. Once the nation expanded, more people craved that delicious Maine lobster specifically. They had to import the animals over large distances which is where it became expensive and seen as more of a delicacy.

Come the late 1800s, there were many more people eating lobster and seeing it as a desirable product. This led to the first wave of lobster fishing regulations. All of these practices are still used by modern lobstermen to help keep these species abundant. In 1872 it became illegal to keep egg bearing females and in 1874, seasonal maximum lengths were introduced in order to keep breeding individuals in the ecosystem. In the early 1900s even more laws were enacted. In 1933 there was both a maximum and minimum size standard introduced so younger juveniles could grow to become breeding individuals and in 1948 the V notch rule was introduced where breeding females were marked so they couldn’t be caught again, even if they aren’t currently carrying eggs. One of the most recent regulations was introduced in 1995, the zone management law was enacted which limits the amount of individual traps a licensed lobsterman may have as well as making apprenticeship necessary for aspiring lobstermen to become more acclimated with the trade and carry responsible fishing practices into their future careers. Although these are not the only regulations enacted and there are constantly more rules being written and revised, these are some of the biggest that are still practiced today.

Sadly some new issues have been facing not just the health of lobstermen’s jobs, but the lobsters themselves. Global warming is the biggest one. This causes many of the habitats these lobsters live in to be much more stressful which can result in reduced mating, feeding, and potentially an increase in deaths. Overall it presents a great risk towards the health of local populations. Ocean acidification is an indirect result of this warming, which causes a softening in their protective shells, making them more vulnerable to predators and causing other physiological issues for individuals. All of these also affect lobstermen and anyone who distributes and sells lobsters. Some lobsters have migrated more north into Canada and out of American waters. While this can be good for American lobstermen and local distributors, it deeply harms our next door neighbors in Canada. Many Canadian lobstermen export their lobsters and now with tariffs put in place by the current president, American companies can’t afford to import from these Canadian lobstermen, causing them to be out of a job. It is also important to note the long term impact of northern migration of lobsters, if this continues, eventually the American fisheries will have much less lobster to catch and the only place to get it from will be Canada, and the tariffs will drive the already high price of lobster through the roof, potentially killing this valuable industry and costing local businesses and tradesmen their livelihoods. This would also create a massive void in the culture of New England.

Overall the conservation of lobster has made great strides to keep up with the ever increasing demand for this delicious crustacean. However there are new issues arising due to climate change that affect not only the health of the species, but the thousands who depend on it. We’ve seen policy evolve with time to accommodate these shifts, but it feels like some things just aren’t enough. As a lifelong New Englander, lobster is an iconic part of the culture here, not just as a food but as an icon for the birthplace of the United States. It would be a shame to see these incredible creatures become a distant memory for East coast Americans, but if policy makers and conservationists band together, it is possible that the future generations could enjoy the sight and taste of the great American lobster.