Article
Fisheries
Aubrey A. Ellertson, Jesica D. Waller, Tracy L. Pugh, N. David Bethoney
Summary: The reproductive dynamics of female lobsters in the offshore American lobster fishery are not well understood due to difficulties in biological sampling. This study determined the size at which female lobsters reach sexual maturity in two offshore areas and found that it varies between Southern New England and eastern Georges Bank. The study provides valuable information for stock assessment scientists and managers to better understand lobster population demographics in data-poor regions.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Marie-France Lavoie, Emilie Simard, Annick Drouin, Philippe Archambault, Luc A. Comeau, Christopher W. McKindsey
Summary: This study used acoustic telemetry to evaluate the influence of longline mussel farms on lobster movement behavior. The results showed that the time lobsters spent within a site, distance travelled, and walking speed did not differ between the farm and reference sites. The tagging method had an impact on walking speed during the first 24 hours, but did not affect the residence time and the distance travelled by the lobsters.
AQUACULTURE ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Anna Schaubeck, Dianjun Cao, Vincent Cavaleri, Seyoung Mun, Soo Jin Jeon
Summary: Epizootic Shell Disease (ESD) is a threat to American lobster population of Long Island Sound. The causative agents for ESD remain unclear. This study identified carapace microbiota associated with ESD using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It was found that lobsters with ESD harbored specific carapace microbiota characterized by high abundance of Aquimarina and metabolic pathways such as amino acid metabolism were enriched in the carapace microbiota of ESD lobsters.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Benjamin C. Gutzler, Winsor H. Watson
Summary: This study developed a data logger called C-HAT to track the behavior of American lobsters in their natural habitat. The C-HAT recorded the lobsters' triaxial acceleration, compass heading, and heart rate. The results showed that lobster heart rates were around 60 beats per minute at rest and increased to around 80 beats per minute during activity. The study also found that at least a third of their movement was in response to external stimuli. Additionally, a movement index based on acceleration was correlated with the distance traveled by the lobsters.
Article
Microbiology
Svenja Koepper, K. Fraser Clark, J. Trenton Mcclure, Crawford W. Revie, Henrik Stryhn, Krishna K. Thakur
Summary: This study aimed to describe and analyze the shell microbiome of apparently healthy lobsters in Atlantic Canada. The results showed regional and seasonal differences in the shell microbiome composition, with host factors such as sex, size, and moult stage having a smaller impact. The study provides valuable reference microbial data from lobsters in a disease-free state.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer M. Polinski, Aleksey V. Zimin, K. Fraser Clark, Andrea B. Kohn, Norah Sadowski, Winston Timp, Andrey Ptitsyn, Prarthana Khanna, Daria Y. Romanova, Peter Williams, Spencer J. Greenwood, Leonid L. Moroz, David R. Walt, Andrea G. Bodnar
Summary: The American lobster plays a crucial role in marine ecosystems and supports commercial fishing. It serves as a valuable model for studying neural networks and olfaction, with complex chemosensory and defense mechanisms contributing to its longevity and ecological success in the marine environment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ella A. Maltby, Ken D. Oakes, Tony R. Walker, Jim Williams, Russell C. Wyeth
Summary: A baseline survey was conducted in 2018 to assess the contamination levels in American lobsters in the Northumberland Strait, Canada. The study found that most contaminants were below the set guidelines, except for elevated levels of arsenic in all age classes. Mercury and methylmercury exceeded guidelines in some cases, but there was no consistent pattern of contaminant accumulation. This study will serve as a reference point for future monitoring after the remediation of Boat Harbour.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Emily R. Oleisky, Meredith E. Stanhope, J. Joe Hull, Patsy S. Dickinson
Summary: This study investigates the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in diversifying peptide structure and enabling flexibility within the cardiac neuromuscular system of the American lobster. The researchers examine the effects of different isoforms of myosuppressin on various components of the system and find that amidation plays a critical role in the peptide's ability to exert its effects. The data suggest that PTMs are important for peptide action and can result in significant changes at different levels of the system.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Camille Berthod, Marie-Helene Benard-Deraspe, Jean-Francois Laplante, Nicolas Lemaire, Madeleine Nadeau, Nicolas Toupoint, Gaelle Triffault-Bouchet, Richard Saint-Louis
Summary: Research shows that lysosomal stability and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) induction exhibit higher sensitivity in contaminated lobsters. Increasing the temperature did not shorten the recovery period, and lobsters exposed to dilbit experienced greater cellular impacts compared to those exposed to marine diesel. Furthermore, marine diesel exposure appeared to have more ongoing issues for the lobster fishery.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Jason S. Goldstein, Katrina A. Zarrella-Smith, Tracy L. Pugh
Summary: Lobsters in southern New England have experienced a decline in reproductive investment due to decades of environmental stressors and emerging diseases. Increased temperatures and physiological stress are identified as significant factors contributing to decreased fecundity.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Kirsty J. Lees, Marie-France Lavoie, Kathleen A. Macgregor, Emilie Simard, Annick Drouin, Luc A. Comeau, Christopher W. McKindsey
Summary: The study used diver surveys and acoustic telemetry to analyze the differences in lobster populations between mussel farms and reference sites, as well as the movement patterns of lobsters and crabs inside mussel farms. The results showed that both lobsters and crabs moved at slower speeds inside the farms, suggesting they used the farms for foraging and sheltering. These findings provide valuable insights for spatial planning and understanding the use of aquaculture facilities by commercially and ecologically important species.
AQUACULTURE ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Flynn Casey, James H. H. Churchill, Geoffrey W. W. Cowles, Tracy L. L. Pugh, Richard A. A. Wahle, Kevin D. E. Stokesbury, Robert P. P. Glenn
Summary: During the 1990s, the lobster population off southeastern Massachusetts (SEMA) declined due to significant warming of the coastal waters. Rising ocean temperatures adversely impacted the survival and distribution of lobsters, causing a reduction in larval delivery to suitable habitat and increasing thermal stress on settled lobsters. This study emphasizes the implications of warming coastal waters on lobster population connectivity and provides insights on the mechanism by which climate change affects marine species recruitment.
FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
