Fishermen built the Zone C Lobster Hatchery as a way to learn about sustaining and protecting their resource. They are aware of the fragility of the lobster resource – and its importance to them -- and are looking ahead.

The hatchery began as a collaboration between the Zone C Lobster Council, the Stonington Fisheries Alliance and the Stonington Lobster Co-op, with Penobscot East providing operational and staffing support.

The hatchery is a true collaborative community project. Fishermen, community members - even six local towns - have donated time, material, expertise and the money for the hatchery.

The short-term goal of the hatchery is to learn whether it is possible to use hatchery-reared lobsters to re-establish or increase population density in locally depleted areas. Although the lobster stock is healthy now, if the hatchery proves successful, fishermen feel it could be a form of insurance against potential stock declines or man-made disasters that affect the lobster population.

A number of factors have converged to create new opportunities for learning through the operation of a hatchery in Zone C. These include new improved hatchery techniques, the knowledge of the many fishermen involved and the advent of new genetics tools. All have created new opportunities for scientific research. Furthermore, parts of Zone C have been identified in the New England Lobster Settlement Index as having good juvenile habitat but low abundance of young lobsters – in other words, this is a good place to see whether enhancement can work.

To date, the hatchery has released close to 40,000 Stage IV lobsters into the waters of Zone C, one of Maine’s seven lobster management zones, encompassing 400,000 fishing acres and the towns of Stonington, Deer Isle, North Haven, Vinalhaven, Isle au Haut, Matinicus, Brooklin, Sedgwick, Brooksville and Blue Hill.

Throughout the season, hatchery staff worked with both regional and international scientists and institutions to learn the complex and technical process of hatcheries.  The information was further disseminated to fishermen and the general public through a variety of media (including meetings, press releases, posters, etc.).  As a result, both fishermen and scientists have learned a great deal of invaluable information.