New England Lobster

Lobsters are rather large creatures for being a crustacean. Larger than shrimp, crawfish, crabs, or oysters by quite a bit, lobsters are considered by many to be the cream of the crop as far as crustacean entrees go.  This is no surprise—the creature is large, which means it supplies a good deal of meat all in one serving. It is also not as unhealthy as some other seafood choices that are popular at restaurants. Additionally, lobsters are fairly easy to eat—while crabs and crawfish require quite a bit of cracking, opening, and separating, the lobster is often served already out of the tail and if it isn’t, then it’s fairly easy to crack the lobster open, once.

American lobsters are the most popular species of lobster to be eaten. It is a species of crustacean found off the Atlantic Coast of North America—especially off the coast of Canada and the New England states, especially Maine. Lobsters are caught primarily using lobster traps, but are also caught by scuba divers, gillnets, and bottom trawlers. The lobster traps are square traps made from metal and they are used to capture the lobsters alive, rather than dead. Only six percent of the lobsters that encounter a trap will be caught. The lobster industry is so important to the economy, in fact, that there is a smaller industry that revolves around the making and repairing of the lobster traps.

How big is the New England lobster industry? For many, it is their sole source of income and for the economy in general, it is a vital driver of jobs and growth. In 2009, for example, 96.9 million pounds of lobster meat was captured and sold in the United States. The meat that was captured was valued at over $300 million—with the vast majority of that coming from the New England states. Maine accounted for over 78 million pounds of the lobster catch in the United States, meaning the vast majority of lobsters were caught off the coast of Maine. The industry is heavily regulated, with minimum catch sizes, certain specifications for traps and fishing methods, and an overseeing commission called the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Lobsters are used in a variety of dishes. Although many people choose to eat lobster all on its own, consuming the tail and the claws without anything except butter sauce to compliment the meal, most people prefer lobster as an additive or ingredient in a larger meal. Lobster lasagna and lobster sauce are common Chinese foods, lobster tails are often paired with steaks, and in the New England area there is something called a lobster roll that is quite popular. Luckily, lobster’s popularity doesn’t correlate to weight gain because the meat is low in saturated fat. It is also a good source of protein and selenium.