The latest figures from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) indicate 31,500 female lobsters were returned to sea in 2015 to breed as part of the Lobster V-notching Conservation Scheme. This is over double the number of female lobsters that were returned to sea in 2010.
Pictured demonstrating how to ‘v-notch’ a lobster at the recent Skipper Expo trade show sponsored by BIM in Galway is BIM’s John Hickey with Sean O’Donoghue, BIM Board Director and Chairman of Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation and Tara McCarthy, BIM CEO.
The primary intention of the lobster V-notching method is to improve the sustainability of Ireland’s lobster stocks. BIM work in partnership with dedicated fishermen around our coast to implement the programme which consists of fishermen manually removing a simple V-shaped notch from the tail of a female lobster when caught. This painless marking enables the female to breed 2-3 times after being returned to the sea before the lobster is landed.
The scheme allocates grant aid to approved groups (and in exceptional cases individuals) to implement local lobster v-notching programmes.
At the conclusion of the 2015 programme, a total of €319,940 was paid in grant aid to those participating in the programme.
