Governor Andrew Cuomo has come up with a plan to allow larger lobsters (those with carpaces longer than 5-1/4”) caught and properly tagged outside of New York waters to be sold legally by the state’s fishmarkets, grocery stores and restaurants, while restricting their capture within the state, itself. It would also formalize closure of all lobster fishing in Long Island Sound each year between September 8 and November 28th.
Last month the New York Department of Environmental Conservation implemented emergency actions to close lobster fishing off Long Island’s south shore in an effort to save the species, which has been decimated by over-fishing, and polluted waters.
Under the new bill, lobsters taken from New York waters will be required to have a carpace (main body shell) between 3/8 inches and 5-1/4 inches long. Lobsters are measured from the rear of the eye socket to the rear of the main shell.
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