Abstract
Lobstermen from each community along the coast of central Maine claim inshore fishing rights in particular areas. Although their claims are unrecognized by the state, they are well established and backed by surreptitious violence. Two kinds of lobstering territories exist, here termed “nucleated” and “perimeterdefended,” which differ essentially in the extent to which exclusive fishing rights are maintained. These differences in territorial organization affect the fishing effort of lobstermen, which in turn has a strong biological and economic impact.
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On leave 1974–1975 to serve with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D.C.
The research on which this paper is based was financed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (Contract No. N-043-30-72) and a Faculty Research Grant from the University of Maine in 1973.
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Acheson, J.M. The lobster fiefs: Economic and ecological effects of territoriality in the maine lobster industry. Hum Ecol 3, 183–207 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531640
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531640