Impacts of V-Notching the American Lobster

ABSTRACT Little information exists on the effects of lobsters that have been v-notched. To help analyze the results of the North Cape restoration program, which released 1.248 million v-notched females, a controlled v-notching laboratory experiment was conducted to determine whether mortality, shell disease, and the rate of notch loss differed between groups of notched and unnotched lobsters. Results from a 2-y tank study indicate that v-notching did not have a significant negative impact on survival or disease susceptibility. After the first molt since being v-notched, 97% of lobsters were harvestable (according to southern New England lobster management definitions at the time of the restoration effort); 59% of lobsters had v-notches less than 6.35 mm (1/4 in); and 84% of the lobsters exhibited visual setal hairs in the notch. Digital images of v-notches were analyzed to examine repair rate of v-notches per molt. Notches were examined in relation to 2 v-notch depths that have been considered by southern...