Using the American Lobster Settlement Index (ALSI) and Environmental Indicators to Forecast Lobster Fishery Recruitment

Funding Agency: NOAA – Fisheries and the Environment (FATE) Program

Co-Investigators:

Richard Wahle (University of Maine)
Andrew Pershing (University of Maine and Gulf of Maine Research Institute)
Larry Jacobson (Northeast Fisheries Science Center)

We will be evaluating four objectives related to the predictive links between parallel time series generated by ALSI and state/federal trawl surveys, and additional environmental indicators. We will: (1) Evaluate spawner-to-settler relationships; (2) Evaluate cohort fate over first years of benthic life; (3) Forecast fishery recruitment, and (4) Make stock level data available for use in the stock assessment model. Work to modify models to use the index will take place independently. In effect, the two-year project closes the lobster life cycle by evaluating the spawner-to-fishery-recruitment relationship at stock-wide and sub-stock spatial scales. ALSI data will improve forecasting capability because the fishery is recruitment driven and there is currently no available information about the strength of recruitment.

For more information check out the ALSI page! https://umaine.edu/wahlelab/american-lobster-settlement-index-alsi/