There is concern for the biomass, the average abundance is well below the threshold and recent recruitment estimates are the lowest on record. However, exploitation is low and there is no concern for the fishing pressure. Management varies depending on the area and in Southern New England, it has been unsuccessful in recovering the stock. There are minimum and maximum size limits in place, and trap limits in most areas. However, there are no limits on catches, and management would benefit from harvest control rules. Management is also not thought to be adequate to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. In Southern New England, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is likely leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW).Commercial buyers should ensure the fishery is following best practice guidelines for impacts on North Atlantic right whales.Rating last updated December 2022.

Stock indicators show that the lobster biomass in the southern Gulf of St Lawrence is high, above the proxy for BMSY. Reference points are not available for fishing pressure, however, fishing pressure is not thought to be adversely affecting lobster stocks. Therefore, there is no concern for biomass or fishing pressure. There are trap limits and a minimum size limit in place, however, management would benefit from a better understanding of the stock and harvest control rules. In the Gulf of St Lawrence, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is likely leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) in Atlantic Canada.Rating last updated June 2022.

Stock indicators show that the lobster biomass in the Eastern Cape Breton, Eastern & South Shore Nova Scotia is high, above the proxy for BMSY. Reference points in relation to MSY are not available for fishing pressure, and fishing pressure vaires between lobster fishing areas. However, exploitation has been stable in recent years. Therefore, there is no concern for biomass or fishing pressure. There are trap limits and a minimum size limit in place, however, management would benefit from harvest control rules. In Eastern Cape Breton, Eastern & South Shore Nova Scotia, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is possibly leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) in Atlantic Canada.Rating last updated June 2022.

Current stock abundance in the Gulf of Maine is at an all time high and exploitation rate is below the target. Management varies depending on the area. There are minimum and maximum size limits in place, and trap limits in most areas. However, there are no limits on catches, and management would benefit from harvest control rules. Management is also not thought to be adequate to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW). In the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is likely leading to the decline of the critically endangered NARW. Management measures have been introduced to protect them, but the death of a single animal from vertical line entanglement poses a threat to the species.Commercial buyers should ensure the fishery is following best practice guidelines for impacts on North Atlantic right whales.Rating last updated December 2022.

Stock indicators show that the lobster biomass in Southwest Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy is high, above the proxy for BMSY. Therefore, there is no concern for the biomass. Reference points are not available for fishing pressure in LFA 35-38, however, in LFA 34 (where most landings occur), indicators suggest that overfishing in not taking place. Therefore, there is also no concern for fishing pressure. There are trap limits and a minimum size limit in place, however, management would benefit from harvest control rules. In Southwest Nova Scotia & Bay of Fundy, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is likely leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) in Atlantic Canada.Rating last updated June 2022.

The stock status of American lobster in Quebec and the Northern Gulf of St Lawrence is unknown relative to reference points. There is no concern for the biomass due to an increase in catch per unit effort (CPUE) and no concern for fishing pressure. There are trap limits and a minimum size limit in place, however, management would benefit from a better understanding of the stock and harvest control rules. In the Gulf of St Lawrence, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is likely leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) in Atlantic Canada.Rating last updated June 2022.

The stock status of American lobster in Newfoundland and Labrador is unknown relative to reference points. There is no concern for the biomass due to an increase in catch per unit effort (CPUE) but there is concern for fishing pressure due to a lack of larger lobsters in the population. There are trap limits and a minimum and maximum size limit in place, however, management would benefit from a better understanding of the stock and harvest control rules. In Newfoundland and Labrador, entanglement in vertical lines used in trap fishing gear is possibly leading to the decline of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) in Atlantic Canada.Rating last updated June 2022.