Lobster Again Maine's Highest Value Fishery

DMR press release

In March the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) released preliminary data that Maine’s commercial harvesters earned $619,053,489 in 2025, which was the 14th consecutive year commercial fishery earnings surpassed $500 million.

Maine lobstermen landed 78.8 million pounds in 2025 and again topped all other fisheries with an overall landed value of $461,384,405. The boat price was $5.85 per pound, the third highest boat price on record.

However, while the boat price and overall value for lobster remained relatively high, inflation took its toll on the industry. “When adjusting for inflation, the overall value of lobster in 2025 was more in line with the value earned in 2008,” said DMR Commissioner Carl Wilson.

“The impact of inflation on fishermen in 2025 not only challenged their bottom line but, when combined with market uncertainty due to tariffs and a late molt that limited access to new shell lobsters, it may have caused many to change fishing behavior, including limiting trips,” said Wilson.

In fact, according to DMR’s landings program, Maine lobstermen took over 21,000 fewer fishing trips in 2025 than in 2024, a nearly 10% decline in fishing effort. “This combination of factors likely contributed to the decline from 2024 to 2025 in the lobster harvest of more than eight million pounds and a decrease in the overall value of more than $75 million,” Wilson said.

Maine’s softshell clam fishery was again the state’s second most valuable in 2025 with an overall value of $21,591,878. That is an increase of nearly $6 million over 2024. Clammers increased their harvest by 441,578 pounds and also saw an increase in price at the dock from $2.72 per pound in 2024 to $3.49 per pound in 2025.

Atlantic menhaden was Maine’s third most valuable fishery in 2025, earning fishermen $18,962,057, an increase of more than $5 million over 2024. Menhaden jumped from 26,735,331 pounds in 2024 to 31,394,325 pounds in 2025.    

Maine oyster harvesters and growers continue to see increasing demand for their product, which was the fourth most valuable in 2025 at $16,179,031. “The reputation for Maine oysters continues to grow as consumers prize their clean, briny, sweet flavor which comes from the cold, clean, nutrient-rich waters along our coast,” said Wilson.

Maine scallops were the fifth most valuable commercially harvested species in 2025, earning fishermen and aquaculturists $9,344,477. “Maine scallops continue to provide a vital winter fishery for harvesters, an emerging opportunity for aquaculturists, and a delicacy for consumers,” said Wilson.

Elver fishmen harvested 7,797 pounds of baby eels in 2025 and earned $6.9 million, making the fishery the sixth most valuable in the state.