ABOUT LOBSTERS 



37 



where younger ones are more sexually active. Maine is the 

 only state with this oversize limit. 



Mr. Robert L. Dow, Research Director of Sea and Shore 

 Fisheries, points out that it is not true with marine forms 



Fig. 4. Measuring a lobster 



that more progeny means more adults. " The maximum size 

 limit in Maine was established because the larger sizes 

 would not sell well in the live lobster market, and it was a 

 convincing but spurious argument to offer ' conservation ' as 

 justification for legally excluding these less salable sizes 

 from the catch. This limitation is anti-conservation in that 

 these protected animals [those in excess of 5" carapace] are 

 not efficient in their use of food which we assume to be of 

 limited capacity, but they are also cannibalistic, and occupy 

 space which might be better used by smaller, more efficient 

 lobsters." 



