Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 130, § 41A (2026)

Taking of female egg-bearing lobsters while fishing or landing

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 41A. Any person who takes, sells or has in his possession any female lobster from which the eggs have been removed by means other than natural hatching, shall be punished for the first offense by a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000 for every such lobster and for a subsequent offense by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000 for every such lobster, or by imprisonment for not less than 90 days nor more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment. Detection on a female lobster of any substance capable of removing attached eggs or of physical evidence that attached eggs have been removed by a method other than by natural hatching shall be prima facie evidence that a violation of this section has occurred. Any environmental police officer, deputy environmental police officer or the director or his designee may, in the performance of his duties, remove one or more appendages from any lobster for testing purposes.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1 case, 1997–1997 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Vitale, 694 N.E.2d 1 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997).

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Commonwealth v. Vitale, 694 N.E.2d 1 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997). “This is the defendant’s appeal from a District Court judge’s refusal to grant a pretrial motion for dismissal of a complaint charging him with possession of female egg-bearing lobsters in violation of G. L. c. 130, § 41A. On May 13, 1994, environmental police boarded the…”

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