Growth of Tagged American Lobsters, Homarus americanus, in the Bay of Fundy

Abstract

Sphyrion-tagged lobsters recaptured in the Bay of Fundy during 1977–80 yielded mean annual molt increment and molt probability data for male and female lobsters of 60–171 mm carapace length from which growth curves were calculated. In addition, a multiple regression model was used to generate growth curves from premolt size, number of molt periods lobsters were exposed to, and growth increment data for 850 tagged lobsters at liberty for 1–5 yr. Von Bertalanffy parameters were calculated from these empirical growth curves, which suggest that lobsters take 20–35 yr from time of hatching to reach 200 mm carapace length in the Bay of Fundy. Analysis of pleopods indicated that the majority of lobsters molt during August–October each year. Growth per molt of immature (60–94 mm carapace length) and mature (95–170 mm carapace length) male and immature female lobsters was arithmetic (regression slope 1.04) but was regressive for mature females (slope 0.95). Mature lobsters molted less frequently than immature lobsters, but mature males grew more rapidly than mature females. Most mature females in the Bay of Fundy are on a 2-yr molt–reproductive cycle. About 20% of ovigerous females recaptured within 2 yr after release had extruded eggs a second time without molting, confirming that multiple egg extrusions between molts do occur naturally.