Lobster accounted for 78 per cent of the overall value of Maine's fishing industry. (Photo: AP/FIS)

Maine's lobster landings hit all-time record

The preliminary 2011 Maine landings as of 22 February are 276.6 million lb with an ex-vessel value (boat price) of USD 425.8 million. This represents the largest harvest since 2004 and a climb of almost 21 million lb compared to 2010 levels, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR).

The jump is largely due to increased lobster and Atlantic herring landings and a decrease of USD 30 million mostly attributable to a decrease in farmed salmon harvests.

For lobster, the preliminary 2011 landings are 103.87 million lb at a value of USD 331.4 million -- the highest lobster landings and value ever recorded in the state since DMR and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) began keeping track. Compared to 2010, the lb and value increased by more than 7 million lb and USD 13 million.

In January 2008, DMR began collecting detailed trip level records from dealers. In 2011, there were 4,341 active commercial lobster harvesters out of the 5,937 commercial license holders.

The lobster harvest has been particularly favourable in eastern Maine. Since 2002, the catch has burgeoned from 7.5 million to 16.6 million lb in Washington County and from 16.5 million to 33.5 million lb in Hancock County.

Lobster accounted for 78 per cent of the overall value of the industry in 2011, and officials and fishers see this as reason for concern that Maine’s fishing indus-try is too reliant on a single species for its earnings and needs more di-versification, The Associated Press reports.

For Atlantic herring, the 2011 values are 95.3 million lb worth USD 14.2 million versus 57.5 million lb and USD 8.6 million in 2010. Crab stands at 2.4 million lb worth USD 932,281 this year versus 3.2 million lb and USD 1.1 million in 2010.

Groundfish so far has reached 5.1 million lb worth USD 5.8 million compared to 4 million lb worth USD 4.96 million in 2010. Shrimp has hit 9.1 million lb at USD 6.9 million compared to 12.27 million lb and USD 6.66 million in 2010

Related article:

- Gulf of Maine shrimp limit up by 10pc

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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