BOSTON  For many, summer in New England would not be complete without throwing on a bib and cracking open a freshly boiled lobster.

This year, however, fewer people are ordering the region’s signature dish, driving down lobster prices and making times harder for lobster fishermen already reeling from the high cost of fuel and bait.

“Lobster is a luxury item, and when things are tight, people don’t buy lobster,” said Peter Eaton, a lobsterman from Kennebunkport, Me., who is getting about $3.75 per lobster off the boat, a quarter less than three months ago and about a dollar less than last summer.

While price and demand have hit their lowest point in years, lobster fishermen are hauling in larger catches than ever. Restaurants in New England have been running lobster specials all summer, trying to pass on the lower prices and move lobsters from the tank to the table.