NO. FALMOUTH, MA - In just over two years, a cooperative research project involving the use of lobster traps to track sea temperatures has attracted more than 100 participants and generated some interesting data.

    Participating lobstermen got together with Jim Manning, the project's lead scientist at the National Marine Fisheries Service's Northeast Fisheries Science Center, to share stories and concerns and to get a look at some of the early results during a Jan. 24 meeting at the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association's (MLA) annual get-together.

    The Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps (EMOLT) project, which is funded by the Northeast Consortium, has evolved into three phases, with a fourth phase on the horizon, according to Manning.

    They are: Phase I, temperature monitoring; Phase II, salinity monitoring; Phase III, data management; and, if funding continues to be available, Phase IV, drifting sensors to gather surface information.

    The basic thrust of the project is to document temperature shifts in the Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank and to observe what type of effect those shifts may have on lobster populations.

    Four industry associations - the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen's Association (AOLA), the Maine Lobstermen's Association, the Downeast Lobstermen's Association, and the MLA - are involved in the project as partners.

    "We have participants all along the coast," Manning said.

    In all, 116 fishermen are placing small temperature sensors, about the size of four stacked quarters, on lobster pots at 133 different sites.

    Some lobstermen have their own "readers," devices that allow them to read the information on the sensors and record it on data log sheets. Those without readers simply turn the sensors over to their association reps who record the information.

    So far, 53 lobstermen have returned data, giving Manning a total of almost one million temperature readings. Each association has designated a representative to help coordinate the information flow.

    A few lobstermen are now also taking salinity readings by placing much larger cylindrical sensors on their gear.

    Figuring out how to handle all the information is a growing challenge for Manning and the lobstermen and association representatives involved.

    The Thistle box, an onboard computerized data entry tool, has so far proven to be "very helpful" in documenting sensor deployments, Manning said.

    However, Bonnie Spinazzola, executive director of AOLA, said her members had had some serious problems with the system - to the point of having lost data.

	Above, EMOLT project temperature sensors, about the size of four stacked quarters, are shown inside the baggies. A few lobstermen are now also taking salinity readings by placing the much larger cylindrical sensors on their traps. (Lorelei Stevens photo)

    While project participants are planning to collect data over many years, Manning was excited to share one early but spectacular demonstration of how the information can be used.

    Cape Cod Bay is an area where many temperature sensors are in place. By coordinating the temperature data, location of the devices, and wind speed, Manning was able to document a phenomenon lobstermen know about from experience - the "turnover" of the bay, when the warm surface water is exchanged with the colder bottom water.

    "Late in September 2001, a big wind shift turned the water over like a pond," he said, using animated graphs to show the sudden shifts in temperature.

    In 2002, the turnover happened nearly a month earlier, in late August.

    "One possibility is that 2002 was warmer than 2001 or that there was more wind," Manning said.

	Pictured above from left, Dave Casoni, the MLA's industry representative on the EMOLT project, John Carver, and Jim Manning, the project's lead scientist, share a moment following the EMOLT seminar at the MLA event in late January. (Lorelei Stevens photo)

    Dave Casoni is the MLA's industry representative on the EMOLT project and an enthusiastic supporter of the work.

    "This is giving us a long-term view of the fluctuations in bottom temperature," he said, explaining why so many lobstermen have volunteered for the project.

    "We and the biologists are convinced that lobster activity is predicated by water temperatures - not in degrees but in fractions of degrees," Casoni continued. "We've had two lousy years. Is it due to temperature variations? Hopefully we can look at the data over time and make correlations."

    Casoni added that 27 Massachusetts lobstermen are involved in the project and that he still has a few temperature sensors available if anyone wants to join in. Call the MLA office for more information at (781) 545-6984.

    Jim Manning keeps an extensive, easily accessible, and up-to-date web site featuring information on the project. Check it out at www.emolt.org.