To better understand lobster movement and growth, Coldwater Lobster Association conducted a small tagging program in 2017. A yellow, streamer tag was inserted in both sub-legal and legal-size male and female lobsters and released in four (4) areas throughout LFA’s 33 & 34. It has been nearly 25-30 years since any sort of lobster tagging program has occurred in Southwest Nova and it is anticipated that such tagging programs will provide valuable data on lobster movement and the overall health of the stock. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to report recaptures!
FOUND A TAGGED LOBSTER?
What to Report:
- Date lobster was caught
- Location (latitude/longitude coordinates)
- Tag Number (CL xxxx)
- Depth of Fishing Activity (fathom)
- Sex if known
- Shell Hardness (moulting, soft shell, hard shell compressible, hard shell)
- Condition of Lobster (seeder, V-notch, missing claws or legs, cracked shell etc.)
- Status of Tagged Lobster (Harvested or Released)
- Fishermen’s Contact information
- Photograph of the tagged lobster (optional)
How to Report: Call 902-742-5247 or email admin@coldwaterlobster.ca
While we are still analyzing the data, we can share the following findings:
- Longest distance traveled by one lobster = 180 km in 162 days, went from 22 fathoms to 172 fathom
- Longest days at large 461 (without recapture reporting)
- Fastest mover, 71 km in 38 days
- Only 1 lobster was caught in both 2017 and 2018
- 9 tagged in the summer of 2017 were recaptured during the 2018-2019 season
- 1 lobster recaptured 4 times, 3 lobsters recaptured 3 times and 18 lobsters recaptured 2 times
