Finally, the depleted stock conditions in Rhode lsland(part of the Southern New England lobster stock: ASMFc.2009a, 2010) may reduce encounter rates between pre-molt females and available males, leaving some females unmated. If mating success in this species density-dependent(e.g. mate-finding Allee effects see stephens et al. 1999: Gascoigne et ali 2009) the relatively low abundance in Southern New England could be negatively impact ing female reproductive success, which will further complicate attempts to rebuild the stock.