'V' Notched Lobster Release

The North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA), working alongside Joe from the Whitby Lobster Hatchery, released juvenile lobsters at multiple sites along the North Yorkshire coastline on Thursday, 13 August 2026.

In addition, NEIFCA officers returned approximately 50 kilograms of v-notched lobsters to the sea. These lobsters were generously donated by Scarborough shellfish merchants Danny and Edwin Jenkinson, whose support is greatly appreciated.

The practice of ‘V’ notching female lobsters is a voluntary conservation measure designed to protect egg-bearing lobsters. By marking the tail with a small ‘V’ notch, these lobsters can be identified and returned to the sea, allowing them to produce at least one or two further clutches of eggs before the notch naturally grows out.

To support this conservation effort, the statutory instrument The Lobsters and Crawfish (Prohibition of Fishing and Landing) Order 2000 prohibits the capture, landing, possession, and sale of any lobster bearing a V-notch, as well as any lobster that has been mutilated to conceal a V-notch. These measures help protect breeding stock and contribute to the long-term sustainability of lobster fisheries.

Special thanks are also extended to NEIFCA Officer Daniel Bennett for organising and coordinating this successful event.