Movements of Tagged American Lobsters, Homarus americanus, off Southwestern Nova Scotia

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Abstract
A total of 4304 American lobsters (Homarus americanus) were tagged and release in inshore areas off southwestern Nova Scotia and on northwest Browns Bank during June-Aug. 1975. Of the 424 lobsters recaptured within 5.4 yr of release, 385 had known recapture locations. For all release areas the average straight-line distance traveled by mature (.gtoreq. 95 mm carapace length) lobsters (15.6 km) was significantly greater than for immature (59-94 mm carapace length) lobsters (4.7 km). Most (69.3%) of the immature lobsters (n = 212) were recaptured less than 18.5 km (10 naut mi [nautical miles]) from the release sites; for mature lobsters (n = 173) this percentage was 40.5%. Previous tagging studies off southwestern Nova Scotia revealed little evidence of long-distance movement; this study, however, shows that mature lobsters can move long distances. Many (19.7%) of the mature lobster were recaptured more than 92.6 km from the release sites. The overall direction of travel was south, in both an east and west direction, with many lobsters moving greater than 50 km from coastal Nova Scotia and Browns Bank into the Gulf of Maine and to the slopes of the continental shelf. Thirteen lobsters moved from Browns Bank to inshore areas of southwestern Nova Scotia. Long-distance interchange of a portion of the mature adult between southwestern Nova Scotia and the adjoining continental shelf suggests that lobsters in these areas could belong to a single stock.