Analyses of sea surface temperature and lobster landings data in which there are highly significant correlation coefficients between (1) temperature at Boothbay Harbor, Maine, USA, and Torungen, Aust Agder, Norway, from 1905 to 1974; (2) Maine landings of American lobsters and total European lobster landings from 1950 to 1972; (3) Boothbay Harbor temperature and Maine landings; and (4) Boothbay Harbor temperature and total European lobster landings during the same period, support the assumption that the cyclic increase and decline in landings of both species can be attributed to the same factors: corresponding cyclic increases and declines in temperature and, as has been demonstrated for northern New England and the Canadian maritimes, evidence of overfishing.
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