PORTLAND, Maine (WBZ NewsRadio) — Lobsters are in limited supply this season, meaning prices have gone up.
Lobstermen are just getting back into the water following a three-month closure in the Gulf of Maine because of state regulations to protect endangered right whales.
“It did reopen May 15, but now the problem is June is the time they start to shed their shells. They shed once a year. They outgrow the shell; they have to shed it,” Dana Rowand, of Rowand Fisheries in Beverly, said.
Read More: Cash And Calls: SSA Turns To Old-School Methods Following Ransomware Attack
That means the crustaceans hide in mud before coming back out in July.
Beth Casoni, with the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, said there’s “not a lot of product coming across the docks in Massachusetts right now.”
This drives up lobster prices. And the shorter season is also making things difficult.
“Those guys haven’t made any money for five months. They opened it and they’re going to lose June. And they’ve got a short season. Very tough business,” Rowand said.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App
(Photo: Getty Images)