A new University of Maine study found a sharp decline in baby lobsters, an early warning sign of potential trouble for Maine’s lobster industry, according to a Fox 22 story.
Researchers found an 80% drop in baby lobsters sampled between 2010 and 2022, followed by a 70% decline in young lobsters since 2015 and a 50% drop in adults large enough to harvest.
The Midcoast lobster population has been shrinking since the mid-2010s, raising concerns for an industry that generated more than $461 million in 2025.
UMaine researchers and the Maine Department of Marine Resources tracked lobsters at different stages of life. They believe warming ocean temperatures are contributing to the decline, pushing lobsters toward deeper, more suitable habitats and spreading them across a wider area.
Researchers say they will continue monitoring the fishery to better understand how long-term environmental changes could affect the industry.
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