Age, Growth and Maturity of Irish lobsters

A completely satisfactory method of ageing lobstem has not been developed. Gibson (1967) attempted to age lobsters using the principles of the von Bertalanffy equation as suggested by Beverton and Holt (1957). In this case the only determinable parameters were L∞, K and the annual growth rate was calculated from the recapture of tagged lobsters which had been at liberty for a period of one year, during which time they had or had not moulted. The smooth curve produced from these data suggested that lobsters first come into the catch, in large numbers at the end of their fifth year and are fully recruited in the sixth year. In reaching this age, the rate at which lobsters grow does not appear to be consistent, and does not appear to be so throughout the life span