Current Projects: Lobster Life History Research
Contact: Heather Glon
Large Lobster Molting Study: In collaboration with MA DMF, Inland Seafood, and Ready Seafood, ME DMR is collecting data on lobster growth increments to update growth matrices in the stock assessment. This involves collecting lobsters in pre-molt (see pre-molt staging guide), holding them in a lobster pound, and measuring carapace lengths before and after molt occurs.
Molting Hormone Study: As an extension of the Large lobster molting study, DMR is partnering with the Harrington Lab at UMaine and collaborating with the USDA National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center to explore and quantify hormones related to the molt cycle. This project will apply findings to update the molt probabilities of lobster within certain size classes
Larval Lobster Growth and Recruitment Tagging Study: In collaboration with the Staudinger Lab at UMaine, we are adapting and testing a potential tagging method to answer key questions about settlement, growth, and developmental phenology during the first year of American lobsters.
Impacts to Patterns of Epizootic Shell Disease: In collaboration with Dr. Maya Groner at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science, we are quantifying the interactive roles of temperature, molting phenology, and lobster stock on epizootic shell disease with both a common garden experiment and analyses of long-term and mark-recapture datasets.
Genomic Population Structure of American Lobster: In collaboration with Tim O’Donnell at the Gloucester Marine Genomics Lab, we are working to improve the American lobster genome, exploring genetic population structure across New England to inform stock boundaries, and leveraging genetic data towards understanding how lobsters adapt to shifting environmental conditions.
Research Partnerships
ME DMR has active, ongoing partnerships with the following lobster research groups in the region:
- Mills Lab – Gulf of Maine Research Institute
- Tokunaga Lab – Gulf of Marine Research Institute
- Stoll Lab – University of Maine
- Brady Lab – University of Maine
- Schwieterman Lab – University of Maine
- Annis Lab – Hood College
- Shields Lab – Virginia Institute of Marine Science
- Goldstein Lab – Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
Past DMR Lobster Research Projects
- Female lobster size at maturity studies
- Lobster tagging and Rewards raffle
- Vertical Line Requirements and North Atlantic Right Whale Entanglement Risk Reduction (Amer. Fisheries So. article)
Resources:
DMR Lobster Lab Protocols and Image Based Guides:
Please see the attached guides below for DMR’s protocols and image-based guides for ovarian, cement gland, and setogenic staging. The images for these guides were generated during DMR’s 2018-2023 female size at maturity research (Waller et al., 2019;2021) and the development of the guides was funded by the 2020 Sea Grant American Lobster Research Program.
Please credit the Maine Department of Marine Resources when sharing or using images from these protocols and guides. For suggested updates or other information, contact jesica.d.waller@maine.gov
- Ovarian staging guide (PDF, 6 pages)
- Cement gland staging guide (PDF, 5 pages)
- Setogenic/pre-molt staging guide (PDF, 5 pages)
Image: DMR lobster lab, 2019
DMR Lobster Research Collaborative
Historical DMR research publications