Experiences and activities in Norway and Europe, based on

studies of the European lobster Homarus gammarus

Gro I. van der Meeren, Halvor Knutsen, Jan Atle Knutsen, Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt and colleagues

Based on a presentation at RALBAM, Chennai, India 4-8 January 2010

Stock Enhancement in Norway

• Lobster fisheries in Norway and Europe

• Rebuilding the lobster stock

– Stock enhancement• Release protocols• Carrying capacity• Habitat• Recapture• Life in the sea• Juvenile quality

– Marine protected areas

Releases at Kvitsøy

1990 - 1994

0

500

1000

1500

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Agnalt and Jørstad, 2002Year

Catc

h (

ton

s )Lobster fisheries in Norway

Hatchery:Larval rearing

Juvenile rearingOngrowth

Sea ranching:Transportation

ReleaseRecapture

Steps in Lobster Production

Photo: Eva Farestveit, IMR

Photo: K. Jørstad, IMR

Individual rearing

Communal rearing

Juvenile rearing

Hatchery

Growth

0,00

0,15

0,30

0,45

0,60

Se pt. OKt. Nov. Des

CL

(m

m)

B ur I s jøen R om Felleskar

Experiments by: Knut Jørstad, et al. 2001 (communal and single rearing) G.I. van der Meeren, not published (sea cages)

Communal rearing

Sea cagesSingle rearing

Juvenile rearingHatchery

From leaflet by Norsk Hummer A/S

Juvenile rearingHatchery

Photo and patent rights: Aegir AS

”Lobster house” to place in the sea

Juvenile rearingHatchery

Construction: Andreas Gjermundsen ogEspen Eriksen, NTNU

Construction: Helge Knudsen, IMR

Juvenile rearingHatchery

From: Beard and Wickins 1992

ReleaseRelease procedures

Releases in Europe, 1970-1995

Data: Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt, IMR

Years ofAge at Tot.

CountryLocationresearch# Releasedrelease# Recapt. Recap.%France Bretagne 10 2-3 weeks ? ?IrelandAlong coast 4 2-4 weeks ? ?France 5 ~1 year 22 0,09

10 ~1 year 653 1,3 " 10 453 2,4 " 9 ~1 year 58 1,9 " 9 ~1 year 307 1,6Norway 9 ~1 year 5 115 4

Age at Tot.

Locationresearch# Releasedrelease# Recapt. Recap.%France Bretagne 10 Up to 225 0002-3 weeks ? ?IrelandAlong coast 4 2-4 weeks ? ?France 5 ~1 year 22 0,09

10 ~1 year 653 1,3 " 10 453 2,4 " 9 ~1 year 58 1,9 " 9 ~1 year 307 1,6Norway

Bretagne

Wales

N. ScotlandKvitsøy

East England

W. Scotland

9

292 00025 48049 12819 2333 044

19 520127 945 ~1 year 5 115 6,2

CountryRegion Duration Years

Numbersreleased

Age atrelease

Recapture %

FranceIreland

FranceGr.Britt.Gr.Britt.Gr.Britt.Gr.Britt. Norway

Weeks

Year

7 950

10

Recaptures, Kvitsøy,

Norway

Data:Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt et al.,IMR 2001

88 Year ClassReleased: 15 000

Recaptured: 554

0,0

1,0

2,0

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

Male

Female

90 Year ClassReleased: 29 700

Recaptured: 1 757

0,0

1,0

2,0

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

91 Year ClassReleased: 29 900

Recpatured: 2 405

0,0

1,0

2,0

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

92 Year ClassReleased: 11 800Recaptured: 792

0,0

1,0

2,0

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

93 Year Class

Released: 32 800Recaptured: 1 224

0,0

1,0

2,0

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

89 Year Class

Released: 8 700Recaptured: 841

0,0

1,0

2,0

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000

Re

cap

ture

(%

) of

ea

ch y

ea

r cl

ass

thr

oug

h ti

me

Recapture period reported by Agnalt et al. 1999

Recapture year (autumn and following spring)

**

0

2

4

6

8

10

92-H 93-H 94-H 95-H 96-H 97-H 98-H 99-H

Season

Cum

ulat

iv r

ecap

ture

88

89

90

91

92

93

Data:

Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt et al.,

IMR 2000

Recaptures of annual clutches Kvitsøy, Norway

Release year

CANO WP3 - Lobster

Estimate carrying capacity (juvenile

density) in early stages, in releases with European lobster (enhancement/ranching)

Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt, Eva Farestveit, K.E. Jørstad

Life in the sea

Aim:

Hartvig Christie, NIVA

Life in the seaArtificial shelters

Artificial reefs in SwedenN. Egriell, M. Ulmestrand, J. Andersson, B. Gustafsson, T. Lundälv, C.

Erlandsson, L. Jonsson, T. Ahsberg

Municipal authorities og Gothenburg, Swedish ship trafic authorities, GothenburgUniversity, Directorate of Fisheries EU

Life in the sea

Juvenile quality

Genetics

Anatomy

Neurology

Fitness

Behaviour

Juvenile qualityGenetics

Jørstad et al., 2005

Juvenile quality

Morphology

van der Meeren & Uksnøy 2000

Lobster brainBrdU-labelled lobster brain

LPZ

56 m

Juvenile quality

van der Meeren et al, in prep

Neurology

Neurogenesis and growth in cultivated lobster juveniles

Juvenile quality

van der Meeren et al, in prep

Neurology

Fitness

Juvenile quality

Photo: Eva Farestveit, IMR

Photo: K. Jørstad, IMR

Jørstad, et al. 2009

Juvenile quality

Behaviour

Photo: T. van der Meeren

Life in the sea

From video by Eva Farestveit, IMR

Thank you