PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s lobster catch has declined for the fourth consecutive year, Maine’s fisheries regulator said Friday, as the industry continues to contend with soaring business costs, inflation and the impact of ocean changes.
Lobster catches, Maine’s most famous export and an important part of the state’s identity and culture, have declined every year since 2021, with some scientists believing that warming oceans are causing people to migrate to Canadian waters.
The industry imported 78.8 million pounds (35.7 million kilograms) of lobster in 2025, down from 110 million pounds (49.9 million kilograms) in 2021, regulators said. This is the lowest total since 2008.
Carl Wilson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, said inflation hit the industry hard last year, with more than 21,000 fewer fishing trips compared with 2024. Market uncertainty caused by tariffs and a late start to the busy fishing season also played a role, he said.
“The combination of these factors could result in a decline in lobster production of more than 8 million pounds from 2024 to 2025, with a total value decline of more than $75 million,” Wilson said in a statement.
The vast majority of lobsters in the country are caught in waters off Maine, although they are also trapped elsewhere in New England.
The total annual catch at the pier typically exceeds $500 million, making it one of the most profitable catches in the United States. Last year the figure exceeded $461 million.
The lobster fishery in southern New England has been declared depleted by regulators for years. The decline comes as waters south of Rhode Island and Massachusetts warm, and scientists warn the trend could repeat itself in Maine. Crustaceans are sensitive to temperature changes, especially when young, but also throughout their lives.
Last year, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Regulatory Commission said lobster populations in key areas had “declined rapidly in recent years” and declared the species was experiencing overfishing. Environmental groups have called for tighter regulation of fisheries.
Some members of the industry dispute that assessment and say fishermen are already constrained by regulations designed to protect lobsters and endangered whales.
Last year’s catch remained relatively high compared with historical figures, up from the usual 50 million to 70 million pounds (about 23 million to 32 million kilograms) in the 2000s and even less in the decade before that.
The industry boomed in the 2010s, with annual shipments exceeding 100 million pounds (45 million kilograms), peaking at more than 132 million pounds (60 million kilograms) in 2016.
John Drouin, who fishes in Cutler, said while prices remain high for consumers and dealers, the high cost of essentials such as fuel and fishing gear means “it’s not a very profitable season.”
But it’s not all bad news, as lobsters are being trapped more frequently than last year, said Long Island’s Steve Train.
“Shipping is more consistent, there are fewer peaks and valleys, and prices are higher in the summer,” Train said. “But I think I landed a little less often.”
Despite the high price, lobster is still readily available in restaurants and seafood markets. In the 2010s, they typically sold for $3 to $5 per pound at the docks, and in recent years prices have exceeded $6 per pound. Last year the dockside price was $5.85 per pound.