A Noninvasive Method For In situ Determination of Mating Success in Female American Lobsters (Homarus americanus)Jason S Goldstein 1, Tracy L Pugh 1,2, Elizabeth A Dubofsky 1, Kari L Lavalli 3, Michael Clancy 4, Winsor H Watson III 1
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, 2Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, 3Division of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, College of General Studies, Boston University, 4Rhode Island Nursing Institute, Middle College
Fishery-induced changes to exploited crustacean fisheries, such as the American lobster fishery, could potentially influence their reproductive dynamics, leading to a reduction in mating success. This study's goal was to develop a noninvasive method for ascertaining the mating success of female lobsters that may be physiologically or functionally mature.