SWANS ISLAND — Lobstermen on Swans Island off the eastern Maine coast are now allowed to fish more traps.

Gov. Paul LePage last week signed into law a bill allowing Swans Island fishermen to have 550 traps, up from 475.

The law aims to increase economic opportunities by allowing Swans Island lobstermen to take advantage of the plentiful summer lobster harvest. Officials say the higher trap limit won’t threaten the lobster resource.

Most lobstermen in Maine are allowed to have up to 800 fishing traps, but Swans Island and some other fishing zones have lower limits. Swans Island is located about five miles south of Mount Desert Island and has a population of about 330.

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