Responsibly Caught Lobster Pop-Up
The New England Aquarium’s BalanceBlue Lab, in partnership with Red’s Best Seafood, is proud to present this responsibly caught lobster pop-up.
For the month of April, the Harborview Café and Dockside Beer Garden at the New England Aquarium are serving up lobster specials, featuring locally-caught lobster fished with on-demand gear that protects North Atlantic right whales from entanglement.
Sharing the Ocean Responsibly
All of Massachusetts waters are typically closed to lobster fishing from February 1 until early May. That's when North Atlantic right whales are in our area—including new moms and calves—and are most at risk of fishing gear entanglements. With fewer than 380 right whales remaining, protecting them is critical for the species' survival.
How Was This Lobster Caught?
This lobster was caught in Cohasset Harbor by fishers using on-demand gear, which eliminates buoy lines in the water column that pose an entanglement hazard to right whales. Because this gear is safer for the whales, fishers like Mike Lane can use it during the time of year when lobster fishing is typically closed, and we can enjoy fresh-caught Massachusetts lobster in spring!
How Does On-Demand Gear Work?
This technology has several variations, including pop-up buoys, inflatable lift bags, and buoyant spools, all requiring far less rope in the water than traditional gear—and eliminating the traditional use of vertical lines attached to surface buoys. Gear on the sea floor can be located and retrieved via an acoustic signal from the fishing boat and efforts are underway to ensure the traditional buoy at the surface is now marked virtually so fishers know where another fisher’s gear is and can avoid setting over that gear.
See On-Demand Gear in Action
Commercial MA fisherman shows how EdgeTech and SMELTS on-demand gear systems are used for fishing. The TrapTracker app on a mobile device can be used to set and haul both types of gear.
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Learn More About BalanceBlue Lab
The BalanceBlue Lab at the New England Aquarium is going beyond research to pilot, implement, and scale solutions that support ocean industry and ocean health—including supporting the expansion of on-demand lobster fishing gear.