Feds Greenlight Lobster Trap Overload for Science
Published Date: 4/13/2026
Notice
Summary
The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries wants special permission to try new fishing gear and use more traps than usual in certain areas. This lets some fishing boats break the usual rules for a limited time to test new methods. If you’re interested, you have until April 28, 2026, to share your thoughts—no cost changes yet, just a chance to help shape fishing rules!
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Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Permit to Use Ventless Traps
The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries applied for an Exempted Fishing Permit that would let federally permitted vessels use lobster traps without escape vents (ventless traps) during a research survey running from May 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026 in statistical areas 514 and 538. The survey would use strings of six traps (three vented and three ventless) with 3-day soaks and involve five vessels over 70 one-day trips.
Temporary Trap Limit Increases
The EFP request asks to exempt participating vessels from trap limit rules so they could exceed normal trap limits—up to 360 traps in Lobster Management Area 1 and up to 96 traps in Area 2—during the 2026 survey (May 1 to October 31, 2026). These higher trap limits would apply only to the vessels participating in this research activity.
Landing Protected Crustaceans for Research
The EFP would allow participating vessels to land for research purposes lobsters and Jonah crabs that federal rules otherwise restrict, including sub-legal (undersized), oversized, v-notched, and egg-bearing (berried) individuals, for the May 1 to October 31, 2026 survey in areas 514 and 538. MA DMF staff would collect these samples aboard during sampling trips; no catch from experimental traps would be sold.
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