An historical overview of the Republic of Ireland's lobster (Homarus gammarus Linnaeus) fishery, with reference to European and North American (Homarus americanus Milne Edwards) lobster landings

摘要

Historical developments of the Republic of Ireland's Homarus gammarus fishery are reviewed and compared in the context of landings in Europe and the North American H. americanus fishery. H. gammarus fishing has provided essential income for over a cenury to many Irish coastal communities. There have been significant flucturations (greater than 460%) in recorded landings over this time and the relative importance of H. gammarus fishing has changed with the establishment of ancillary crustacean fisheries. In 1994, H. gammarus landings reached an al-time high of 714 tonnes, with a landed value of IR pound6.15 million. Current Republic of Ireland lobster fishery regulations are: (a) minimum carapace length of 85 mm, (b) ban on landing lobsters that have been 'V-notched' or have a mutilated tail fan, and (c) prohibition of capturing lobsters by SCUBA diving. Chronological details on recent legislation, regulations and landigs relating to Ireland's lobster fishery sector are reviewd. In the last 40 years landings of H. gammarus in the Republic of Ireland exhibit signs of an overexploited stock characerised by a reduction in catch per unit effort and there has been a general decline of total landings for H. gammarus throughout Europe. This contrasts with North America, where many regulations ggovern the H. americanus fishery and landings appear to be in a healthier state.