During 1983, 637() Lobsters wore cntight from May through October of 

 which 5160 were tagged and 936 subsequently recaptured (18.1%). 

 Ninety-seven percent of our recaptures were caught at the station where 

 they were released. Lobsters were at large an average of 30 days (range 

 2-169) before being recaptured. Most lobsters were recaptured once (89%), 

 9% were recaptured twice, 2% were recaptured 3 times and 5 individuals 

 (0.6%) were recaptured 4 times. 



Tag losses were detected by the presence of tag scars during tagging 

 procedures. Percent tag loss was 14.4% in 1983 and was within the range 

 reported in previous years (11.4 - 15.0%). Recapture data from our program 

 and from commercial fishermen are summarized in Table 5. The commercial 

 returns were compiled by totaling the number of lobsters returned to us 

 near each of our stations (JC, IN, TT, MP-Millstone Point) and in each of 

 the Connecticut DEP statistical areas (Fig. 10) . The majority of 

 commercial returns were caught near our stations (91%) and almost all were 

 caught in Area 1 (New London County) (94%) . Lobsters that moved out of our 

 study area (westerly, 0.4%; and offshore, 0.3%); accounted for a very small 

 percentage, indicating a resident population with little migration (Wilder 

 and Murray 1958; Wilder 1963; Cooper 1970; Cooper and Uzmann 1980). Two 

 lobsters that moved outside LIS were caught in Buzzards Bay, and one was 

 caught off Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Several lobsters traveled 

 greater distances, in some cases several hundred kilometers, where they 

 were caught off the continental shelf (Block and Hudson canyons) , by 

 commercial offshore fishing vessels. 



_ Numbe r TjRK'td , 



IC JN TT Ttr rAi. 



1 Ub ICb ]lSb 



1317 1103 )bt4 



1383 1633 ^246 



2322 3031 7b7i 



1341 1946 blbii 



Huaber Rgcapturi 



TT TDTAI. 



342 150 2 30 



214 



104 



282 163 260 



486 336 456 



407 210 319 



Total 8875 8948 9719 27542 1965 1077 1667 



IpU Tec«ptur«* 



Long Island Sound 



16 



