Habitat addition and stock enhancement for American lobsters, Homarus americanus
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Date of Original Version
12-1-2001
Abstract
Six experimental artificial reefs for lobsters were established in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, in February 1997. These have been monitored according to a 'before-after-control-impact' design since placement by means of visual surveys, traps, tag-recapture, photoquadrats, and airlift sampling. Juvenile and adult lobster density at the reef increased from near zero to >1 lobster m-2, significantly higher than the two control areas. Settlement of young-of-year lobsters has significantly increased. We used microwire tags to mark hatchery-reared lobsters and released over 2000 marked 5th-6th-stage lobsters in each of two years. The density of young-of-year lobsters on enhanced reefs was not different from that on the control reefs. Despite intensive sampling, we have recovered only one of the hatchery-reared animals. Field observations indicate possible behaviour differences in the hatchery-reared lobsters that might make them more susceptible to predation.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Marine and Freshwater Research
Volume
52
Issue
8
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Castro, Kathleen M., J. S. Cobb, Richard A. Wahle, and John Catena. "Habitat addition and stock enhancement for American lobsters, Homarus americanus." Marine and Freshwater Research 52, 8 (2001): 1253-1261. doi: 10.1071/MF01095.