JAMIESON and CAMPBELL: SCALLOP FISHING IMPACT ON LOBSTERS 



64° 20' 



6 4 10" 



Figure 4— Number of lobsters observed by divers in May during each tow in Egmont Bay, Northumberland Strait, Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence Substrate type is shown in Figure L Area designations are explained in Figure 3. 



SCALLOP GEAR: LOBSTER INTERACTION.- 

 No relation was found between the two sample 

 periods and the number of lobsters injured or re- 

 tained during a tow (Ikble 4). The weighted percent- 

 age of lobsters injured or retained was 1L7 and L3, 

 for the nonfished and combined fished areas, respec- 

 tively. Injured lobsters were not found in the drag 

 path, although occasionally lobsters were observed 

 to retreat into burrows in front of a moving drag. 

 Whether they subsequently became damaged or 

 trapped in their burrows is unknown, but the absence 

 of damaged lobsters in the drag path suggests that 

 the frequency of lobster damage is low on commer- 

 cial scallop ground especially where there is a 

 general lack of large rocks and boulders. However, 

 14 of the 30 locations surveyed had occasional large 

 rocks. 



Most lobsters encountered were too small (mean 

 CL = 72 mm) (Ikble 5) to be retained by the scallop 



gear unless the steel rings making the drag were 

 partially blocked by debris. All lobsters <92 mm CL 

 can pass through a 70 mm inside diameter scallop 

 ring (Stasko 1975). Several lobsters were seen by the 

 divers entering the drag and passing through the 

 rings apparently unscathed. In 63 tows, 1 1 lobsters 

 were affected directly by the scallop gear: four were 

 retained by the drag (the ring openings were block- 



Table 4.— Frequency by month and location of lobster reduction 

 and/or injury during dragging. 



581 



