A port sampling program for american lobster began in 2005 and data from this program have been utilized in stock assessments

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded New Hampshire Fish & Game $128,087 on January 1, 2026, under the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 (CFDA 11.407) to conduct port and settlement index sampling for American lobster and other species.

New Hampshire Fish & Game will collect biological data from offshore statistical management areas through continued operation of a port sampling program for American lobster that began in 2005, addressing existing gaps in offshore lobster stock data. Sampling will also cover Jonah crabs, northern shrimp, Atlantic herring, and Atlantic menhaden as needed. All data collected will be submitted to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for use in stock assessments and population analyses. The recipient will contribute New Hampshire sampling to the coastwide American Lobster Settlement Index, which tracks year-of-year lobster settlements as an indicator of subsequent juvenile and adult population levels. YOY lobster sampling data will be combined with data from other states to support multistate population assessment and fisheries management coordination.

The award runs through December 31, 2029, with work performed in Concord, New Hampshire.

There is currently a lack of biological data for lobster from offshore statistical management areas and data collected from this program has helped fill some of those data gaps. Sampling for other species include, but not limited to, jonah crabs, northern shrimp, atlantic herring, and atlantic menhaden has occurred as the need has arisen. Data collected on these species will be used in population assessments and to address any pertinent questions that may arise (e.g., spawning season and size at maturity). All data collected under this grant will be submitted to the asmfc for use in stock assessments and other analyses. New hampshire has contributed to the coastwide american lobster settlement index (ALSI) since 2008. Sampling of YOY lobsters has proven to be a good indicator of subsequent juvenile and adult population levels, and has become a critical survey in population assessments. Data from the NH portion of this survey will be used in combination with other states to better understand population dynamics of this valuable resource.