THE LOBSTER FISHERY 633 



fresh, and none is canned; but in Canada the value of the canned lobsters 

 packed exceeds that of the lobsters consumed fresh. The greater proportion of 

 Canadian lobsters, both canned and fresh, are exported to the United States. 

 Newfoundland is also an important center of the lobster industry. 



The European lobster industry is located chiefly in Norway, Ireland, Scotland, 

 England, Sweden, and France. However, during recent years it has declined 

 so rapidly that it is now of minor importance. 



Decline of the Fishery 



In the early days of the American lobster fishery these crustaceans were very 

 plentiful and consequently very cheap. They were much in evidence along the 

 shore after storms, during which many were killed and washed upon the beaches. 

 When plentiful they were commonly taken by gaffing from small boats, but such 

 methods were discarded long ago because of the growing scarcity of the catch. 

 As the number of lobsters taken has declined, the price has rapidly advanced. 

 Prior to 1860 large lobsters were often retailed at 5 cents each; similar lobsters 

 now bring from 50 to 75 cents. In 1888 the average annual catch per pot in 

 Massachusetts during the season was 81 lobsters, each one over 10.5 inches in 

 length. By 1905 the average annual catch per pot had declined to 31 lobsters, each 

 one above the 10.5 inch gauge. No comparative figures are available for more 

 recent years, but the decline has continued. In spite of state regulation of the 

 size which may be taken it is evident that the American lobster is in grave dan- 

 ger of extermination. 



Since the Canadian and Newfoundland lobster fisheries have been developed 

 more recently than those of the United States, these fisheries have not as yet been 

 depleted to a similar extent. However, the annual catch is undergoing a rapid 

 decline. At the height of the Canadian industry the annual catch was approxi- 

 mately 200,000,000 lobsters, but in 1920 it was only about 40,000,000. In 1946 

 the total production of lobsters was 38,308,500 pounds, valued at $11,365,037. 



Conditions have been much the same in Europe. When intensive fishing was 

 commenced, the lobsters were rapidly depleted. The Norwegian lobster fishery 

 reached its height in 1865, when 1,956,276 lobsters were caught. Recently the 

 high price has greatly augmented the numbers of Norwegian fishermen; because 

 of this the size of the catch has not yet decreased to any considerable extent, 

 but it is doubtful that the natural increase of lobster will be sufficient to permit 

 more extensive fishing for an extended period. 



Life History of the Lobster 



Larval Stages. Because of the commercial importance of the American lobster 

 {Homanis americamis) and the rapid decline of this fishery many researches rela- 

 tive to its physiology and propagation have been carried out. The life history of 

 the lobster is unique in many respects and is one of the most interesting studies 

 in marine biology. 



The great majority of lobsters reach sexual maturity when about 10 inches 

 long, but a few spawn when 7 inches long. The number of eggs in the first litter 

 varies from about 3,000 to 9,000. Most authorities agree that the American lobster 

 spawns once every 2 years and that the lobsters continue to grow until they are 

 20 or more inches long; the greatest recorded length is 23.75 inches and the 



