Page "American lobster" Paragraph 31

In the United States, the lobster industry is regulated.

Every lobsterman is required to use a lobster gauge to measure the distance from the lobster's eye socket to the end of its carapace: if the lobster is less than long, it is too young to be sold and must be released back to the sea.

There is also a legal maximum size of in Maine, meant to ensure the survival of a healthy breeding stock of adult males, but in parts of some states, such as Massachusetts, there is none.

Also, traps must contain an escape hole or " vent ", which allows juvenile lobsters and bycatch species to escape.

The law in Maine and other states dictates a second large escape hole or " ghost panel " must be installed.

This hole is held shut through use of biodegradable clips made of ferrous metal.

Should the trap become lost, the trap eventually opens, allowing the catch to escape.