Tagging Program 



From 1975 to 1985, 57,359 lobsters were caught; 47,259 were tagged and released, and 8,053 (17%) 

 subsequently were recaptured in our sampling program (Table 13). 



Table 13. Summary of tag and recapture studies from 1975 through 1985. 



Recaptures not measured. 



Commercial lobstermen caught an additional 13,394 (28.3%) of our tagged lobsters over the same period. 

 In recent years (1984-85), the percentage of tagged lobsters caught by commercial lobstermen was lower 

 (18.6%) than rates of recapture from 1975 to 1983 (30.6%). Conversely, our rates of recapture during 

 1984-85 were higher (23.0%) than rates during 1975-83 (15.1%). This disparity in rates of recapture was 

 due to the implementation of the escape vent regulation in April 1984 (Landers and Blake 1985). The 

 escape vent (1 3/4 in x 6 in) allows the escape of sublegal sized lobsters and, since the majority of our 

 tagged lobsters are sublegals, fewer were retained in the commercial traps with the required vents. In 

 comparison, our traps do not contain escape vents and retain greater numbers of tagged sublegals. 



Additional evidence for the effectiveness of escape vents was apparent in the mean size of tagged 

 lobsters caught in commercial gear before (1975-83) and after implementing the escape vent regulation in 



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