ROCKPORT, Maine - The value of the Maine lobster fishery continues to grow, and landings continue to climb.
"Maine certainly is experiencing kind of a sweet spot in terms of its lobster fishery," says Jeff Nichols, of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
Nichols says Maine lobsters in 2016 were worth more than $533 million dollars - some $30 million more than the year before. It's the seventh year in a row that the catch value has increased. Nichols says not only are lobsters plentiful, but they're desirable for a number of reasons.
"You know, the sustainable harvesting practices associated with this fishery - that's something consumers around the world are increasingly coming to appreciate."
And the popularity of North American lobster in Asia is also pushing demand.
Last year also saw a record haul with more than 130 million pounds landed, topping the previous record of 128 million, set in 2013.
