An alternative bait for the American lobster fishery composed of fishery by-products to reduce reliance on forage fish

Crustaceans are the subject of valuable, large-scale fisheries around the globe and landings of crustaceans have increased in recent decades. Most crustacean fisheries use traps baited with forage fish that are specifically harvested for the bait market, creating volatility in bait price and placing pressure on forage fish stocks which are critical to broader ecosystem function. The creation of alternative baits that utilize fishery byproducts could therefore increase the economic viability of critical fisheries and reduce pressure on forage fish stocks. Here, we present a transdisciplinary case study in the development of an alternative bait for the American lobster — (Homarus americanus) fishery. Specifically, we formulated an alternative bait composed of ground fish racks (e.g. the remains of commercial fish filleting operations) and hydrolysated, organic fish fertilizer (Neptune’s Harvest©) suspended in a carrageenan-based gel. Field trials under commercial conditions revealed that the best performing alternative prototype captured 53 % as many lobster as traditional bait (Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus). Considering current bait costs, our prototype could prove an economically and ecologically sustainable alternative to traditional forage fish baits. Furthermore, the carrageenan-based formulation could be useful as a liquid attractant delivery system in various crustacean fisheries globally.