There are active lobster fishermen at all of the major ports on the Sound from the Bronx and Westchester to Long Island's East End. Of the 888 resident commercial lobster fishing permits issued in 1997, the DEC estimated that approximately 11 percent were inactive in which permit holders did not fish for lobsters that year. Industry estimates indicate that about 25-35% of the permit holders are full time commercial lobstermen, and the rest actively fish for lobsters on a part time or seasonal basis.
Industry sources have estimated that there are about 300 commercial vessels that range in size from 25 to 40 feet in New York's Long Island Sound fishery. It is estimated that to enter the lobster fishery a basic investment of about $150,000 would be needed. This initial investment could be reduced by about 1/2 to 2/3 if used equipment were purchased. In addition to this initial investment, lobstermen also have regular expenses for bait, fuel, traps and other gear, as well as for vessel insurance and maintenance. Most full-time lobstermen employ at least one or two crewmen, and there is generally very little turnover. Traditionally, serving as a crewman with an experienced lobsterman has served as an apprenticeship program where serious individuals gained the experience needed to eventually enter the fishery on their own. Today lobsters are caught with essentially the same gear used for decades, the lobster pot. According to DEC reports, 97% of the lobsters harvested in New York over the past 20 years has been with lobster pots. According to industry sources, most lobster vessels have between 800 to 1500 pots on hand. The average number of pots reported by commercial permit holders to DEC in 1997 was 553 pots with a range from 1 to 3000 pots and a median of 300 pots. DEC reports also estimate that there were over 335,000 lobster pots fished in New York in 1997.
The overall design of the lobster pot hasn't changed significantly, but improvements have been made in the materials that make up the pot or trap. The new vinyl coated wire pots which cost about $40 each last much longer and require less maintenance. Lobster pots are usually set in a series, with a trawl of 5 to 15 traps being most common. The pots are strung on a ground line about 60 to 100 feet apart. The length of time that traps are left in the water varies depending on the season and water temperature. During the warmer months traps may be tended every day while during the coldest months of the year, when lobster are sluggish and not actively feeding, pots may be left in the water for up to 10 days.
SHORESIDE BUSINESSES
A wide variety of New York businesses including both wholesalers and retail stores actively buy and sell lobsters directly to the public or to the large number of restaurants in the state who regularly feature this traditional highly valued product on their menu. Almost all of the lobsters caught on Long Island move rapidly through the distribution chain, are sold live, and are consumed locally. Lobsters are kept alive on board the vessel. Lobstermen pack them in crates or cartons and then sell them to shoreside businesses like wholesalers, retail markets, or restaurants. These businesses keep the lobsters alive by holding them in tanks before they are shipped to other retail stores or restaurants or sold directly to the consumer.While most seafood businesses handle some live lobsters, there are some that specialize in lobster. On Long Island there are several large wholesale lobster dealers. Three of the largest companies, Eastern Lobster Pound in West Sayville, Jordan's Lobsters in Island Park, and Jeff's Seafood near Huntington have the capacity to hold up to 30,000 pounds of lobsters according to industry sources, and other businesses like Braun Oyster Company in Southold, and Perry B. Duryea, Inc. and Gosman's Seafood in Montauk have holding capacities estimated to range between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds. Several large lobster wholesalers also service the New York City area, and a large number of smaller wholesalers and retailers across the state can hold large numbers of lobster in their tanks for sale to consumers through retail outlets or restaurants.
OUTLOOK AND OPPORTUNITIES
Record lobster catches have been recorded in New York over the past several years for a variety of reasons that probably include a natural upswing in the population, record amounts of fishing effort, and successful management strategies. Resource management strategies for lobster have utilized our understanding of the lobster's life cycle. Current harvest size limits ensure that lobsters have the opportunity to reproduce at least once and possibly twice before they reach harvestable size. This is important to ensure that a stable and healthy resource can be maintained. According to industry sources, the lobster resource in New York has been actively managed since early in the century. As a result of this effort and the strong conservation ethic that has developed among commercial lobsterman over the past decade, the resource continues to be relatively stable and healthy as the total catch has increased. In fact the LI Sound Lobsterman's Association often proposes legislation to further protect the resource. In recent years lobstermen have supported new regulations to require biodegradable escape panels in lobster pots to prevent "ghost fishing" which can occur when lobsters continue to be caught in lost traps, and an increase in the vent size for lobster traps which makes it easier for undersized lobsters to escape. Lobstermen frequently cite two issues as being important to the future of the lobster fishery in the Sound: the need to continue to improve overall water quality, and the need for New York and Connecticut to manage the lobster fishery in the entire Sound in a uniform way. Most lobstermen are optimistic about the future and are working together through organizations like the Long Island Sound Lobsterman's Association to preserve their businesses, their way-of life, and this important NY resource.
