Supporting the wild population of lobsters in the Firth of Forth
What is a European lobster?
European lobsters, Homarus gammarus, are invertebrate marine creatures found all the way form Northern Norway down to North Africa.
Like other decapod crustaceans such as crabs and prawns, they have 10 legs, and must moult their hard exoskeleton to continue growing.
They hunt at night using their long antennae and hairy feet to touch and smell out benthic invertebrates such as crabs, molluscs, urchins and starfish, as well as scavenging for prey such as fish.
Lobsters live in rocky or sandy habitats in shallow coastal waters, about 40m deep.
How are lobsters protected in Scotland?
Despite the pressures on lobster populations in Scotland, there are some measures in place to protect them.
V-notch protection
V-notching is a method we use to protect reproductive females when we release them back into the wild.
We cut a ‘V’ shape into her tail which means that she cannot be legally caught or sold, and must be safely returned to the ocean.
The v-notch will last around 2 years, until she moults it out.
Return of berried hens
In some parts of the UK, it is a legal requirement to return berried hens (female lobsters carrying eggs) to the sea.
This ensure protection of reproductive females and higher larvae numbers each year.
Many conscientious fisherfolk will return berried hens regardless of legislation.
Minimum catch size
Scottish law states that individuals that are smaller than the minimum catch size are returned to the sea. This means any lobster with a carapace (body shell) length less than 87mm is protected.
Females also have a maximum catch size (145mm) to protect the large individuals – the larger a female lobster, the more eggs she can produce!
Positive news: Shetland fisherfolk drive conservation measures
Local fisherfolk on Shetland have voted to ban the landing of berried hens (females with eggs - see above). In Scotland, there is no law against this, but conscientious locals have taken steps with local authorities to create legislation to protect their lobster stocks for future generations.
