Lobster Area closures (Trout River, Shoal Point, Penguin Islands, Gooseberry Island, Glovers Harbour, Mouse Island, Gander Bay)

Location

Newfoundland-Labrador Shelves; Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Bioregion (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Approximate Size (km²) contribution to Marine Conservation Targets

94 km²

Approximate % coverage contribution to Marine Conservation Targets

<0.01%

Conservation Objective

Increase lobster spawning and egg production

Species of regional importance: American lobster

• Why it is important: American lobster is a commercially important species.

Habitat that is important to biodiversity conservation: lobster spawning habitat

• Why it is important: Inshore shallow and rocky areas are protected to increase egg production, which makes the area important for life history of American lobster.

Prohibitions

The ecological components of interest are effectively conserved through the following prohibitions:

All lobster fishing.

Other Considerations

No human activities that are incompatible with the conservation of the ecological components of interest may occur or be foreseeable within the area.

Environmental Context

American Lobster are important predators in these rocky, shallow, inshore environments along the Newfoundland coast, and so they play an important role in the food web. Small lobsters are also a potential food source for many species. As such, protecting lobster spawning areas may contribute to the overall health of inshore food webs.