Learning About Lobsters

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Learning About Lobsters!
Ocean Technology Foundation

• Jenna CarlsonEducation and Outreach Coordinator

Long Island Sound Educators Conference March 31,
2006 The Maritime Aquarium Norwalk, CT
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Fostering excellence in ocean exploration, marine
research and education, and promoting commercial
development, all with an emphasis on undersea
activities.
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Outline

• Introduction
• Lobsters in Long Island Sound
• North Cape Lobster Restoration Program
• Example Lobster Activity

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Lobster Biology

• American Lobster Homarus americanus
• Phylum Arthropoda Class Crustacea
• Range from Canada to North Carolina
• Rocky and sandy substrates
• Solitary, nocturnal and territorial
• Legal size lobsters 5-7 years old

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Lobsters in Long Island Sound

• Die-off 1999
• Recent Mortalities
• Diseases Western LIS Sound
• Shell Disease Eastern LIS Sound

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Lobster Fishery

• Lobsters harvested in LIS since colonial times
• 1999 lobster die-off impacted 1,300 lobstermen
• 100 decrease lobster landings

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North Cape Lobster Restoration Program

• Oil Spill 1996 Moonstone Beach, RI
• North Cape
• 9 million lobsters killed
• Insurance Company State government settlement
  to restore lobsters and wildlife
• OTF chosen for restoration efforts
• Restocking 1.25 million female lobsters over 5
  yrs.

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Whos involved?

• Ocean Technology Foundation
• Project Managers and Scientists
• Boat Observers
• Local RI and MA Lobstermen
• Insurance Company
• National Marine Fisheries Service

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Restocking the FemalesRI and MA

• Females caught onboard commercial vessels,
  checked, v-notched and released
• V-notch protects lobsters from harvest
• Concept V-notched harvest protected lobster is a
  future egger

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The V-notch
Eligibility for V-notching

• No shell disease
• No bullets (lobsters with no claws)
• Hard shell

• Female
• Legal Size
• No eggs

• If she meets all the requirements a V-notch is
  placed in her right uropod (flipper) and she is
  thrown back

V-notch in right uropod
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V-notching at Sea

• Female Lobster is notched
• Chad (small piece of uropod) is saved
• Recorded on trip report and thrown back
• Lobstermen receive credit for each lobster
  notched and returned

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The Results
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Results

• 2005
• Over 400,000 female lobsters notched
• 2006
• Approx. 43,000 more to reach goal
• Studies show that 40-50 of V-notched lobsters
  recaptured are observed with eggs

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Learning About Lobsters!

• Hands-on Activity
• Students study..
• Lobster Biology and Ecology
• Lobsters in LIS
• Lobster Fishery in LIS
• Activity can be easily adapted to all levels of
  students

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Example Activity
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Female or Male?
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(No Transcript)
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Coloration
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Eggs
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Legal Size

• In Connecticut legal size is 3 ¼ inches
• (eye socket to the end carapace)

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Legal Size

• In Connecticut minimum size is 3 9/32 inches
  (eye socket to the end carapace)

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Total Length
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Are you right or left handed?
Depends on the Crusher claw
This lobster is left-handed!
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Walking Appendages
Total Number 8
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Antennae
Measure the length in inches
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Shell Disease

• No Shell Disease 0

0-10 1 11-50 2 50-100 3
Caused by bacteria that attaches to the lobster
shell and begins to penetrate inward
This Lobster is a 3!!!!
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Overall Good Health
No
Yes
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• For more information visit our website
  www.oceantechnology.org

jenna_at_oceantechnology.org