were immediately returned to the water after recording the data mentioned 

 above. 



In 1978 the effluent station was discontinued due to the difficulty 

 in hauling and keeping pots set properly in that area. Strong currents 

 and large boulders greatly increased the number of snagged trawls and 

 lost pots. 



To obtain more information on smaller sized lobsters half of the 



2 

 wood pots were replaced with wire mesh pots (2.5 cm ) in August 1978. 



The wire pots caught greater numbers of smaller lobsters which were 



unable to escape through the small mesh. Estimating abundances of these 



small individuals (particularly those from the 70-76 mm CL) is important 



since they constitute a large proportion of the prerecruits whose 



abundance largely determines the size of the legal catch. To further 



increase catch, starting in 1982, all wood pots were replaced by wire 



pots. 



From 1975-78 sampling was conducted from January to December and 

 from 1979 - present during the months of highest catch, May through 

 November. Starting in 1979, surface and bottom water temperatures and 

 salinities were recorded at each station. 



Since 1973, a $2.00 reward has been paid as an incentive for the 

 return of information on tagged lobsters by commercial and recreational 

 lobstermen. 



In addition to the population data mentioned above (CL, sex, molt 

 stage etc.), we are collecting data to determine the size (CL) at which 

 female lobsters reach maturity. The maximum outside width of the second 

 abdominal segment of all females was measured to the nearest mm and by 

 dividing the mean abdominal width by the mean CL f or . each 5 mm CL 



