SUMMARY 



1. Annual total CPUE from 1976 to 1985 ranged from 0.56 to 2.10 lobsters per trap. Total CPUE was 

 significantly higher for wire than wood pots. However, the CPUE of legal lobsters (>81 mm CL) 

 was similar for wood and wire pots. During 1985, low CPUE values at the Intake were attributed 

 to dredging activities in the vicinity of the intake structures. 



2. Size frequency distributions indicated that wire pots caught significantly more small lobsters ( < 75 

 mm) than did wood pots. Since wire pots have been used, annual mean CL's have been consistent 

 (range 70.8-71.8). A strong prerecruit size class was observed during 1982 and resulted in record 

 landings throughout LIS in 1983 and 1984. 



3. Male to female sex ratios of lobsters were close to 1:1. However, the Twotree station, 1.5 km offshore, 

 has yielded consistently higher numbers of females, when the three sampling stations were compared. 



4. The size frequency distributions of berried females and abdomen width/carapace length ratios of 

 females indicated that female lobsters attain sexual maturity in this area at about 50 mm. Twotree 

 had consistently higher proportions of berried females of the three stations. 



5. The frequency of molted lobsters in the catch varied over years. Although peaks occurred in early 

 summer, in some years fall molting peaks were also observed. Growth per molt averaged 14.1% for 

 males and 13.7% for females. 



6. The percentage of culls ranged from 9.0 to 17.4%; more lobsters collected in wood pots experienced 

 claw loss (14.4%) than lobsters caught in wire pots (12.7%). 



7. Since 1975, we tagged 47,259 lobsters and subsequently recaptured 8,053 (17%). Commercial lobster- 

 men recaptured 13,394 (28%) of the tagged lobsters released in our area. 



8. Our tagging studies indicate lobster movements are mostly restricted to the local area since 91% of 

 the commercial recaptures were made within the study area. However, some lobsters moved more 



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