Lx)wer incremental size increases for females smaller than 60 mm (CL) are expected since females begin 

 to sexually mature at about 50 mm. Energy that would otherwise have been used in carapace growth was 

 diverted to widening of the abdominal segments and development of the ovaries. The average growth per 

 molt for males (14.1%) and females (13.7%) was similar to results reported by Briggs and Mushacke 

 (1984) for western LIS lobsters (males 14.5%; females 12.5%). Cooper and Uzmann (1980) reported 

 higher growth increments for the offshore lobster population, 18.7% for males and 16.7% for females. 

 They attributed the lower growth of the inshore population to lobster inactivity during the colder months 

 of the year. 



Claw Loss 



The percentage of lobsters missing one or both claws (culls) ranged from 9.0 to 17.4% for lobsters 

 caught in wood pots and 10.6 to 15.5% for lobsters caught in wire pots (Table 12). 



Table 12. Claw loss for lobsters caught in wood and wire pots from 1975 to 1985. 



These percentages are typical for LIS; Smith (1977) reported 26.4% claw loss in LIS east of the Connecticut 

 River and Briggs and Mushacke (1979) reported claw loss varying between 7.4 and 22.8% in western LIS. 

 In general, the proportion of culls at each station was similar, and lobsters with missing or damaged claws 

 were observed more frequently after the spring and fall molts. Pecci et al. (1978) reported that trap-related 

 injuries resulting in claw loss are often associated with water temperature, fishing pressure (i.e., handling 

 by lobstermen), trap soaktime, and physical condition of the lobster (i.e., its nearness to molting). 



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