Maine Lobster Facts

Maine lobster aka American lobster

The Maine lobster, also known as American lobster, is one of North America's most popular seafood delicacies. This delicious crustacean is caught in Canada as well as the United States.

The following are a few Maine lobster facts:

Although it is often called "Maine lobster", the species occurs in American waters from Maine through North Carolina.

Maine lobsters are solitary and territorial by nature, often laying claim to a burrow or crevice for protection. Although they move within their habitat, adult lobsters usually remain within a home range of a few square miles. Large adults often live in deep ocean water but make seasonal migrations inshore to reproduce.

Maine lobsters molt 10 times in their first year, reaching lengths of 1 -1.5 inches. Lobsters can grow back new claws, legs, and antennae. A lobster that has lost 1 claw is called a cull. One that has lost 2 claws is called a bullet.

The largest known Maine lobster weighed a whopping 44 pounds. Scientists have not discovered an accurate method for measuring the exact age of Maine lobsters. Based on growth estimates, biologists believe that some lobsters live for nearly 100 years.

The American (Maine) lobster fishery, with an ex-vessel value of nearly $400 million in 2010, ranks as one of the most value Atlantic coast fisheries. Maine's lobster landings make up almost 80% of the value of the U.S. fishery.

The vast majority of Maine lobsters are caught in lobster pots. A small percentage of overall landings are caught by trawling. SCUBA divers sometimes catch Maine lobsters by hand.

In the USA, Maine lobsters are managed regionally by the ASMFC American Lobster Management Board. The board regulates three distinct stocks, including Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GBK), and Southern New England (SNE).

Canadian Seafood Consumption

A new survey reveals 88 percent of Canadians have eaten seafood over the past three months. However, only 15 percent of fish consumers and 5 percent of shellfish consumers are meeting Canada Food Guide recommendations of two seafood servings per week (see note 1) .

Commissioned by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), the Canadian Seafood Survey found that more men than women like the taste of fish (73 vs. 66 percent, respectively), and that men have a more positive impression of farmed seafood than women. Nearly three-quarters of Canadians eat salmon (74 percent), followed by trout (45 percent) and shellfish (43 percent).

“The good news is that Canadians are eating seafood,” said Ruth Salmon, CAIA’s Executive Director. “Unfortunately, our seafood consumption frequency is far below national dietary guidelines of eight servings per month. Seafood is one of nature’s best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and Alzheimer’s Disease, guard against Rheumatoid Arthritis, and reduce depression.”

Canadians eat finfish an average of 3.7 times per month, and our average shellfish consumption frequency is 1.9 times per month. The survey found salmon to be the most popular fish among Canadian consumers.

The complete survey, which also includes Canadians’ opinions towards creating a national Aquaculture Act, is available online: http://www.aquaculture.ca/files/CAIA-PUBLIC-REPORT-May-2011.pdf

Note 1: Canada Food Guide: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/food-guide-aliment/view_eatwell_vue_bienmang-eng.pdf

source: Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

2011Seafood Summit in Canada

The 9th Annual Seafood Summit is taking place on 31 January - 2 February, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada, with Keynote Speaker Yvon Chouinard. The Seafood Summit brings together global representatives from the seafood industry and conservation community for in-depth discussions, presentations and networking with the goal of making the seafood marketplace environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. The Seafood Summit will take place at the Westin, Bayshore in Vancouver, Canada.

For more information, visit the Seafood Summit website:

www.seafoodchoices.com/seafoodsummit.php.

source: Fishlink Sublegals

Groups Oppose Genetically Engineered Salmon

According to a coalition of Canadian groups, Environment Canada refuses to confirm or deny if the department has already started a secret 120-day risk assessment to approve genetically engineered (GE) salmon egg production on Prince Edward Island. The groups also released a joint statement of “categorical objection” to the raising of GE fish and fish eggs (1).

Documents released in September by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that the US company AquaBounty is seeking approval to sell its GE salmon into the US food market based on a plan to produce all its GE salmon eggs on Prince Edward Island (PEI) and then ship the eggs to Panama for grow out and processing.

Following this revelation, groups made inquiries to Environment Canada but were told that any information about a possible risk assessment is confidential. The groups are calling for full disclosure and demanding that Environment Canada cease any approval process that may already be underway.

“We call on Environment Canada to reject any request for permission to commercially produce genetically engineered fish or fish eggs,” said Matthew Abbott, Fundy Baykeeper Coordinator, “Environment Canada needs to immediately inform Canadians if they have started an environmental assessment for GE salmon egg production. This secrecy is totally unacceptable.”

The joint statement of opposition to GE fish, “No GE Fish Research, Production, Consumption in, and Export from, Canada,” was signed by a wide range of groups from across Canada including the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Ecology Action Centre Nova Scotia, the PEI Coalition for a GMO-Free Province, Fundy Baykeeper, Living Oceans Society, Pure Salmon Campaign, Fraser Riverkeeper, First Nations Environmental Network, Greenpeace, and the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

“Farmed fish can and do escape. Genetically engineered salmon is an unacceptable and unnecessary threat to endangered wild Atlantic salmon,” said Shauna MacKinnon of Living Oceans Society in BC. “When GE fish escape into wild populations, studies indicate that wild fish are at risk of decline.”

“We don’t want Prince Edward Island to be the global origin of dangerous GE salmon,” said Leo Broderick of the Council of Canadians on PEI. A coalition of PEI groups is asking Premier Robert Ghiz to intervene and insist on disclosure from Environment Canada (2). “It’s highly disturbing that we only found out about the company’s plans for Prince Edward Island from US consultations,” said Broderick who attended US FDA hearings in September.

The company AquaBounty has engineered a faster growing Atlantic salmon by inserting a growth hormone gene from Chinook salmon and genetic material from ocean pout (an eel-like creature).

“Documents released by the US government reveal that the company is assuming it will get permission to produce all of its GE salmon eggs in Canada,” said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. “Minister of Environment John Baird must take immediate action to stop genetically engineered salmon eggs from being produced in Canada. We have a global responsibility to protect Atlantic salmon from this dangerous technology.”

(1) The full statement opposing GE fish and list of signatory groups can be viewed at http://www.cban.ca/statementopposingGEfish

(2) The letter to the Premier of PEI can be viewed at http://www.cban.ca/PEIletter

source: cban.ca

B.C. Fraser River Sockeye Salmon Fishery Certified by MSC

The Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) fishery in British Columbia (BC) has earned Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification having been independently assessed by an accredited certifier and found to meet the MSC standard for sustainably managed fisheries.

The Fraser River sockeye salmon fishery was assessed against the Marine Stewardship Council’s robust, environmental standard for the certification of wild capture fisheries. The Fraser River fishery joins three other B.C. sockeye salmon fisheries, the Skeena River, Nass River and Barkley Sound, that recently received MSC certification.

The fishery is managed by the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Also involved with the process is the Fraser River Panel, a group comprised of government, First Nations, and recreational and commercial interests from both the United States and Canada.

The Pacific Salmon Commission, a body independent of government, provides scientific advice to the Fraser River Panel and to DFO regarding run size, stock identification, timing of returns and migration conditions.

The Fraser River sockeye salmon fishery operates within British Columbia and Canadian Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone waters. Salmon are harvested by drift and setnet gillnets, purse seine, beach seine and trolling.

Fraser River sockeye salmon are sold fresh in North America, frozen in Japan and Europe and canned primarily in the UK.

source: MSC

MSC Certifies Eastern Canada Offshore Lobster

The Eastern Canada offshore lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery operating within the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the eastern seaboard of Canada has earned Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification having been independently assessed and found to be sustainable and well-managed.  Products from the Eastern Canada offshore lobster fishery will now be eligible to bear the blue MSC ecolabel.

source: MSC

Aquaculture Funding Creates Canadian Jobs

On February 5, 2010 Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), reported on the success of the Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP).

The goal of the Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP) is to improve the competitiveness and market value of the Canadian aquaculture industry by encouraging an aquaculture sector that continuously develops and adopts innovative technologies and management techniques to enhance its global competitiveness and environmental performance.

This year, DFO funded 19 projects to a total of $2.3 million in Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces through AIMAP, part of the $9 million AIMAP has committed to the Canadian aquaculture industry over the last two years. For the next three years, AIMAP will be committing an additional $14.1 million in funding.

source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada press release

Bank of Montreal Urges Canadians to Eat Lobster for New Years

BMO Financial Group has reaffirmed its support for customers affected by the downturn in the Atlantic lobster fishery, and encouraged Canadians across the country to show their support by buying lobster this holiday season.

In its press release, a BMO official called on Canadians to support Canadian lobster fishers by making lobster a part of their New Year’s festivities. “I encourage everyone to bring more lobster home. There’s no better way to enjoy New Year’s Eve than to have lobster. Prices have collapsed to a near 20-year low, and Canadian lobster fishers need your support. You’ll be having a treat and helping out your fellow Canadians at the same time.”