Lobsters: The Search for Knowledge Continues (and Why We Need to Know!)

Research interest in lobsters has been further by their commercial importance, growing public interest in their biology and management, and their widespread demand as teaching tools. Scientific studies of lobsters cover diverse areas, including: larval ecology, behavior, genetics, stocks, effects of fishing, aquaculture, eco-labeling and certification, ecosystem management, and marine protected areas. Major conferences have been held on lobster research that highlight changing research priorities in response to developing technologies, lobster population declines, political actions (e.g., establishing marine protected areas), and the need for new data to address new issues (e.g., eco-labeling). As information on lobsters becomes disseminated to a wide audience, better methods for communicating current knowledge about lobsters also have evolved.