ROCKPORT — Maine lobstermen landed the smallest harvest in nearly two decades in 2025, signaling a sharp post-boom reality for the state’s iconic fishery.

Initial data released by the Department of Marine Resources at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum on Friday suggests a late start to the summer lobstering season, and the sting of inflation and tariffs have redefined the economics of a fishery that has long dominated Maine’s working waterfront.

A shrinking harvest

Lobstermen landed almost 79 million pounds last year, a 10% drop from the 87 million pounds harvested in 2024, and a staggering 40.5% fall from the all-time peak of 132.6 million pounds in 2016. It is the first time landings dipped below 80 million pounds since 2008.

While the average boat price of $5.85 per pound was the third-highest on record, the high prices did not equate to record profits. The 2025 catch was valued at $461.4 million — 14% below 2024 and 7.5% below the 10-year average, state data shows.

When adjusted for inflation, the harvest value was down 20% from 2024 and was more in line with 2008 levels, the Department of Marine Resources said.

In sessions devoted to young lobstermen, teenaged captains bemoaned missing out on the industry’s boom five years ago.

Old-timers congratulated themselves on their conservative business philosophy. Kurt Hallowell, who fishes 800 traps out of Pemaquid, said he never considered going really big: buying a bigger boat, buying a federal permit and spending the diesel money needed to lobster hard offshore.

“I’ve been doing this a long time now,” Hallowell said. “I’ve always known the boom wasn’t going to last. I’ve played it safe, stayed inshore, and now I’m really glad I did. … 2025 wasn’t our best year, but it wasn’t our worst, either.”

The economic and climate pinch

The decline was fueled in part by a 10% drop in fishing effort, as rising bait, fuel and gear prices made it to expensive for lobstermen to fish as hard as in the past.

Lobstermen continued to leave the industry, state data showed. Those who fished, fished less.

“It cost a lot more to go fishing last year,” said third-generation lobsterman Sonny Beal, the new chairman of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “Sometimes, it made more sense to sit tight and save on diesel and bait. Not just for me, but for a lot of guys.”

For Beal, that meant letting his 800 traps collect lobster for four or five days instead of his usual three during slow times. It meant buying fresh Maine alewives in the spring instead of using the Maine lobsterman’s favorite bait, herring, to hold down costs.

“I love fishing,” Beal said. “But I mean, I still need to make money.”

Environmental factors hurt the season, too, specifically a late molt that limited access to the soft-shell lobsters that feed Maine tourists, said Marine Resources Commissioner Carl Wilson. The shed usually happens in early summer, when seas are warm, but erratic temperatures threw that off last year.

When the molt is late, lobstermen can miss the tourist-fueled market, Wilson said.

Beyond the water, market volatility and tariffs likely also played a major role in the decision to keep boats idle, Wilson said. Tariffs drove up steel prices, which inflated trap prices, Beal said. Even replacement wire to mend traps cost him more, he said.

These uncertainties created a “wait-and-see” environment for many captains, Wilson said.

Regulatory tension

The industry is grappling with these shifts while facing a disputed “overfishing” label from federal regulators.

A recent “baby boom” in lobster surveys off Stonington and Vinalhaven offers a tiny sign of hope for the next decade, but the young-of-year count remains 44% lower than it was 20 years ago. However, lobstermen aren’t giving up.

“As the resource adjusts from record highs, lobstermen remain deeply committed to stewardship, sustainable practices and to protecting the fishery that sustains thousands of Maine families,” said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.

A diversifying waterfront

Despite this painful rightsizing, lobster still dominates Maine’s working waterfront. State data shows it accounts for nearly 75% of the state’s $619 million total commercial harvest value in 2025. It is the 14th straight year Maine’s combined fisheries surpassed the $500 million mark.

However, data shows the internal composition of the state’s seafood economy is starting to shift.

• Soft-shell clams: Solidified its position as the state’s second-most valuable harvest, with earnings jumping nearly $6 million to $21.5 million.

• Menhaden (pogy): Surged to the third-most valuable fishery at $19 million, serving as a critical bait source for the lobster fleet.

• Elvers: Experienced a sharp decline, with earnings dropping to $6.9 million and falling to sixth place in the state rankings.