Which regulatory measures govern the Maine lobster fishery?

• A. Size limits, trap limits
• B. Seasonal closures
• C. Random catch-and-release rules
• D. Fishing license auctions

Answer: (A)

Regulating lobster harvest to protect the stock relies on controlling what you take and how many you can take. Size limits ensure that lobsters must reach maturity before they can be kept, so breeders remain in the population and can reproduce. Trap limits limit how many traps a fisher can deploy, directly capping fishing effort and total catch. Together, these two tools balance harvest with the need for the population to recover and thrive over time.

Other measures like seasonal closures can occur in some contexts, but they aren’t the primary, defining tools used to govern the Maine lobster fishery. Random catch-and-release rules don’t fit lobster management, and fishing license auctions aren’t how this fishery is typically regulated.