Lobster Maturity Study from Devon Coast, 2004 Sample

Devon, UK, is the location for a biological study of lobster maturity. The dataset contains a sample of 128 lobsters (91 females and 37 males) collected at sea from Ilfracombe on 29 September 2004 using parlour pots. The sample was size-stratified by carapace length, with specific targets for different size groups.

Use Cases

• Modeling lobster maturity stages based on carapace length and sex.
• Analyzing size distribution within a coastal lobster population based on the stratified sampling method.
• Studying sex ratios in a local lobster catch from a specific date and location.
• Comparing maturity indicators between store-potted animals and freshly caught undersized lobsters mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Sample size of 128 individual lobsters is explicitly stated.
• Collection date (29 September 2004) and precise location (Ilfracombe, Devon) are provided.
• Sampling methodology (parlour pots, size-stratified targets) is described in detail.

Limitations

• Row count for the actual data table is unknown.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data is from a single day in 2004, limiting temporal generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service

Collection Method

Samples captured using parlour pots, size-stratified within catch limits.

Time Range

29 September 2004

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; data is from 2004.

Geography

Ilfracombe, Devon, UK coast