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"    Despite that gorgeously bright blue lobster recently captured by a teenage lobsterwoman off the coast of Maine, the area&amp;#039;s crustaceans are facing hard times.  Whether or not global warming is as big of an issue as some politicians claim (and others adamantly deny), one thing is for certain: The water temperatures within the Gulf of Maine are rising, which is, in turn, leading to a major drop in the lobster population. This then translates into fewer delicious, butter-drenched lobstahs for us to gobble up at those New England summer clambakes. Okay, environmentalists \u2014 NOW we&amp;#039;re listening!  As The Associated Press reports, the waters off the New England beaches are heating up as much as 99% faster than the rest of the world&amp;#039;s seas. (The study was done by Andy Pershing of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, but has been independently endorsed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.) When waters warm up, explains a University of Maine professor, it becomes less dense, therefore leading to rising water levels. And, continues Diane Cowan, founder of the Lobster Conservancy, the rising and warming waters limit the amount of lobster we are able to catch. Even further, the study shows that many of the commercial species that once resided in this uber-productive marine ecosystem are moving northwards in search of cooler waters. An environment that no longer supports lobster also means less cod, herring, and species of cold-water fish, and more new species not usually found off the Maine coast are starting to show up in fishermen&amp;#039;s nets, like blue crab, squid, and black sea bass. While the cause of these rapidly rising temperatures is officially unknown, it seems to be unanimous in such research circles that the warming trend is here, and already affecting the massive fishing industry of the Northeast coast. Find more great food content on Delish:   Search for the perfect recipe from our homepage Find out the latest food news Get a recipe book to save your favorite dishes Sign up for our free newsletters Check us out on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter   RELATED: Don&amp;#039;t Sweat It: Cold Noodle Salads for Hot Summer Days Green Smoothies That Will Fool the Whole Family 9 Gorgeous Grilled Desserts "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/food/news/a37904/lobster-shortage-maine/>