Brazil Establishes Science-Based Catch Limits for Lobster | Oceana

Victory | May 1, 2024

Brazil Establishes Science-Based Catch Limits for Lobster

The Brazilian government approved new science-based catch limits for the red spiny lobster and the green lobster fisheries during the 2024 season. Lobster fishing in Brazil is predominantly artisanal and is the main source of income for many traditional fishing communities. In 2019, Oceana released a stock assessment that revealed the red lobster population had declined by more than 80% since the 1950s. Oceana’s analysis and campaigning helped to mobilize artisanal fishers, fishing industries, and other allies to support implementing catch limits, which will help recover the lobster populations and support local fishing communities. To combat illegal fishing, the regulation also bans the sale of lobster in domestic markets during the last three months of the fisheries’ closed season.