The International Conference and Workshop on Lobster Biology and Management (ICWL) has been convened about every third year for the past 30 years. The first was a small workshop with 37 participants from the USA and Australia. More recently, meetings have attracted about 200 participants. Although the focus of the meetings is broadly “biology,” the emphasis of each reflects both current hot topics and the major interests of the region where the meeting is being held. Recruitment issues dominated the first few, while mariculture and population assessments have been emphasized in the recent meetings. The impact of the meetings goes beyond communication of recent results. More than 300 peer-reviewed papers have been published in proceedings of the 7 meetings. A book resulting from the first meeting and proceedings from the second each have been cited more than 1000 times. Recommendations from workshops at the meetings frequently are followed, and collaborations appear to have sprung up. The ICWL clearly is a successful, and enduring, institution.