Table 8. Population statistics for lobsters caught in wood and wire pots from 1976 to 1985. 



Recaptures not included 



Sex Ratios 



Since 1975, the overall sex ratio of males to females was close to 1:1 (Table 9). However, when three 

 stations were compared, Twotree had consistently higher proportions of females, whereas Intake and 

 Jordan ("ove had slightly more males. Sex ratios close to 1:1 were also reported by other researchers 

 working in waters close to shore (Herrick 1911; Templeman 1936; Ennis 1971, 1974; Stewart 1972; Krouse 

 1973; Thomas 1973; Cooper et al. 1975; Briggs and Mushacke 1980). Smith (1977) found male to female 

 ratios of the commercial catch ranging from 1:1.06 to 1:1.81 in four different areas of LIS which agrees 

 with the ratios of our Twotree station which is 1.5 km offshore. Ennis (1980) indicated that sex ratios are 

 dependent on the size composition of the catch which in turn is dependent on the method and depth of 

 sampling. Ratios close to 1:1 occur up to the size at which females are sexually mature, after which 

 females tend to predominate in the catch due to variation in trapping behavior related to molting and 

 reproduction, legal restrictions of taking egg-bearing females, and the fact that mature females molt less 

 frequently than males (Skud and Perkins 1969; Cooper et al. 1975; Ermis 1980). 



Table 9 Male to female sex ratios of lobsters caught at each station from 1975 to 1985 



Jordan Cove 



Intake 



Twotn 



15 



