Lobster Prices Remain High As Fishermen Await Summer Catch

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Live lobster prices are high in New England and beyond as fishermen eagerly await the summer arrival of the region's beloved bugs.

Lobstermen in Maine and Massachusetts are coming off several years of high catches for lobster, a signature food item for the region that is also growing in use in processed products.

Prices for lobsters have also been somewhat high for most of the last two years. The consumer price is in the range of $8 to $12 per pound at most retail outlets in Maine, the country's biggest lobster producer. That's a couple dollars more than a year ago.

Lobster prices tend to fall in early summer when many lobsters reach legal trapping size and catches increase. Fishermen say that hasn't happened yet, but scientists expect it soon.