For 35 years Robert Allen was a lobster man. He followed the regulations and laws telling him to throw back the little ones, and save the big ones. 84% of his catch ended up back in the sea, and this got him to thinking. He decided to sell his boat, and take up another lobstering cause. The preservation of the industry. Now Allen currently servers on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s East Cast Advisory Panel on Individual Fishing Quotas, and has some great ideas. One of these ideas is to allow lobster men to take home a greater percentage of their catch, but cut the number of traps allowed to save time and fuel. Working with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Allen has created a detailed computer model that takes into account many different factors including the growth and reproduction rates of the lobsters as well as fishing methods, numbers of boats, business costs and profits. The study suggests that by making a few simple changes, the lobster industry can be bolstered. Additionally, Allen states that his approach also has an advantage of reducing the risk of entangling whales and other marine life in lobster traps.