Lobsters Great and Small

Lobsters Great & Small stems from the collaboration of environmental scientists with lobster fishermen. The hard data of the scientists has been artfully blended with the salty observations of those who catch lobsters for a living. The star of the show, however, is the lobster, Homarus americanus. The roots of this engaging book go back to 1996, when the US government issued a grant to the Island Institute for a collaborative study by lobster fishers, marine biologists, and oceanographers to study lobster migration patterns and reproductive behaviour. One outcome of this five-year study is this unique and beautiful book, replete with satellite images and colour photos by renowned photographer Peter Ralston and others. Philip Conkling and Anne Hayden explain the science in everyday language, skilfully weaving interesting nuggets of history and human interest into the text. The result is an engaging and comprehensive view of where Maine's lobster fishery came from, where it is now, and where it is headed.