Correction and update, September 21, 2026: The 2025 action repealed specified changes to lobster gauge and escape-vent sizes. It did not abolish Maine’s lobster size limits.
What changed in 2025?
On May 5, 2025, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Addendum XXXII. It repealed the gauge and escape-vent changes established in sections 3.1 and 3.2 of Addendum XXVII. The addendum took effect June 30, 2025.
Size limits remained in place
The action retained a minimum carapace gauge of 3¼ inches and a maximum of 5 inches in Lobster Conservation Management Area 1. The gauge measures the body shell, not the lobster’s total length or weight. Other management areas have different limits.
The addendum did not repeal v-notch rules or its specified trap-tag provisions. Read the adopted ASMFC Addendum XXXII for the exact scope of the 2025 action.
Why the distinction matters
A cancelled increase and the removal of all size protections would mean very different things. This article’s earlier wording blurred those two ideas. The repeated sections and quotations that could not be verified have been removed.
Where to check current requirements
This is a dated explanation of the 2025 action, not a substitute for current fishing rules. Consult Maine Marine Resources for Maine requirements and NOAA for the appropriate federal fisheries resources before relying on a rule for harvesting or possession.
