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As the old story goes,
Lobsters were once so plentiful that indians used them as fertilizer and fish bait. In Colonial times they were considered poverty food. At one time they were harvested from tidal pools and fed to Prisoners and children. Indentured servants who exchanged seven years of service for passage to America had it put in thier contracts that they would not be forced to eat Lobster more than three times a week.
The Tale of the Lobster
Today with Maine being the largest producer of lobster in the Nation.
The Lobster Institute in Orono Maine has now created a lobster relay
stop in Hawaii where lobsters are givin a break from the long journey to
Japan and the Pacific rim. Lobster mortality has improved over 40 % Now
other new holding and shipping technologies are being developed that are
helping the market thrive bringing great prices to the consumer.
Why Lobsters are becoming more availible now?
Global warming
The water temperature along the Maine coast has increased significally over
the past few years. Are lobsters being attracted by the warmer waters?
Fewer Predators
Cod, the main predator of Lobsters, who's numbers are much fewer because
of overfishing by ground fisherman trawling with drag nets along the for
the bottom dwelling fish
Better detection
Electronic technology has made it
where Lobster boats can virtually
see underwater. They identify the terrain topography and depth making hiding
for the lobsters very difficult.
Whatever the reason they are availible and at Great prices. With the
great health benefits of lobster ( see below ) Imagine the conveniance of them
being delivered to your door overnight fresh from the Maine waters. How about some Lobster Newburg
Lobsters can be divided into three families:
Palinuridae (Spiny Lobster), the Scyllaridae (Slipper Lobster), and the Nephropidae (ordinary Lobsters). Found in most marine environments, they inhabit the sandy bottom or the crevasses of rocky formations. Generally these animals are nocturnal, feeding at night, but most adapt well to the aquarium lighting.
1. Spiny Lobsters
Characterized by a complete lack of the large claws associated with Lobsters. Their first set of antennae is split at the end (like hermit crabs) and the second pair is greatly enlarged with a thick, "spiny," basal segment. Growing up to 16", some Spiny Lobsters are captured for food. At this size they will consume most other invertebrates, tubeworms, and small fish in the aquarium.
2. Slipper Lobsters
Lack a long antenna; instead, the second pair is modified into large, shovel-like structures used to dig in the substrate for food and to bury the Lobster for defense. While their nocturnal behavior will decrease their attractiveness for the home aquarium, they are totally safe with all invertebrates and fish with the exception of short-spined Urchins.
3. The last family, Nephropidae,
Include the larger, commercially caught food Lobsters and several tropical lobsters of the genus Enoplometopus. These brightly colored Lobsters make good aquarium inhabitants, rarely growing over 6" to 7". The claws will usually be over 1/3 of the total body length and are primarily used to capture and guide food to the mouth. They will usually accept prepared foods and bits of meaty foods.
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