Fishermen already dealing with a dramatic reduction in the amount of a key bait fish they are allowed to harvest will likely face an additional cut next year.
That could drive up the price of lobster for consumers.
Regulators on the East Coast are contending with a drop in the population of herring, a key forage fish species that has been used as lobster bait for generations. Cuts in catch quota this year will mean the total haul for 2019 will be less than a fifth of the 2014 harvest.
A fishery management board is due to make a decision about the 2020 catch limits in early June. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said in public documents that options include maintaining this year’s levels or reducing them further.
