Biology of a lobster

Where do they live?
Most American lobsters come from the east coast, running from Maine to North Carolina. More then 70 million pounds of lobster is caught a year in the US and 80% comes from Mass, Maine, and Rhode Island. Small lobsters hide in sea weeds and rocky habitats that's provide good food and shelter. Adolescent lobsters dominate the off shore areas and coastal habitats. Larger lobsters travel into deeper waters and migrate seasonally.

How do lobsters eat?
Lobsters have 4 antennas they use to search around the ocean floor for food. They use the antennas to smell out food. Their antennas work so good they can pick out the smell of amino acids on their favorite types of food. They chew the food with teeth in their stomachs, they use three surfaces to grind the food down before it fully entires the stomach.

Do lobsters lay eggs?
Female lobsters can carry live sperm for two years and fertilize it when they're ready. A one pound lobster carries 9,000 eggs and a 9 pound lobster carries more then 100,000 eggs. The eggs stay inside the lobster for a year, and then another year outside the lobster attached under her tail. Of of the 50,000 eggs releases only 2 of the lobsters are expected to survive and sick back to the bottom of the water as baby lobsters. Even though only less then 1% of baby lobsters survive, near shore lobsters have a 90% chance of ending up on someone's dinner plate.

What do lobsters eat?
Lobsters usually move around and hunt for food at night. People used to think that lobsters were scavengers and ate primarily dead things. However, researchers figured out that lobsters catch mainly fresh food except for bait which includes fish, crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins, and sometimes even other lobsters

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/fishfaq7.html

Biology of a lobster

What are a lobsters antennas used for ?
Lobsters have three sets of antennas. They have one large pair and two small pairs. The large pair is used for touching and feeling to help the lobster move throughout its environment. The other two pairs detect chemicals and odors to aid with finding food and hunting

What do lobsters see with their eyes?
Lobsters can not see very well. Lobsters can not see color nor can they see clear images. Their eyes are very sensitive to light, so they can detect shadows very well and this allows them to find their pray easily .

What is the difference between the two claws?
Lobsters have a crusher claw and a cutting claw. The crusher claw is the bigger/stronger of the two. It has a few bigger teeth on it and is used to break the shell of its prey. The cutting claw is smaller and has many small teeth on it. This claw is sharper and is used to tear through its preys flesh and pull out the meat. This claw can be moved easily allowing the lobster to catch fast moving prey.
http://slgo.ca/en/lobster/context/characteristics.html

How do lobsters reproduce?
Lobsters reproduce sexually. The male lobster transfers the sperm to the female and the eggs are fertilized. The female carries the eggs around with her until they hatch.

http://answers.ask.com/Science/Biology/how_do_lobsters_reproduce

New-born lobsters will float near the surface for about 4-6 weeks. For every 50,000 eggs only 2 are expected to survive. The ones that survive then begin to sink down and hide in-between rocks and grassy areas. As the lobster grows they begin to hide less and explore.

http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=48

How do you eat a lobster?

Step 1: Start by breaking off the lobster’s legs. Holding the lobster firmly, pull of the lobster’s legs by delicately twisting them. The legs are not waste, within them is the sweetest meat. 

Step 2: Remove the claws. Twist them at their first joint (the joint that connects the claws to the body). The crusher claw is usually bigger than the tearing claw making it a little harder to twist off.

Step 3: Remove the loose part of the claw, pulling it all the way open.


Step 4: Using a lobster cracker, clamp and crack the tip of the claw, which contains a large piece of meat.

Step 5: Using your forefinger, push the meat from the tip out of the bottom (bigger opening of the claw). 


Step 6: Grasp the tail of the lobster and the back of the lobster with separate hands while twisting the tail off of the body.


Step 7: Insert your fingers into the “tail” end of the lobster pushing the meat out (intact) of the bigger opening.


Step 8: Peel off the top of the tail to find the digestive tract which should be removed before eating.

What are the best types of lobsters to eat?

There are many different kinds of lobsters in the ocean. However, only two main types are commonly eaten, and taste the best. They both have different tastes and some people prefer on over the other.

Clawed Lobster: Usually divided into two groups, the American Lobster, and the European Lobster. People who live in North America usually consume the clawed lobster, otherwise known as the American lobster. They are caught of the coast of Maine and other New England states such as New Hampshire and Massachusetts. They are also caught in Canada’s provinces such as Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. European lobsters, are found in the eastern Atlantic waters from Norway to Morocco. American and European lobsters (clawed lobsters) live in cold and shallow waters. While American lobsters are brown in color European lobsters are blue, but are both bright red once cooked. 

Spiny Lobster: The spiny lobster is most commonly found in warm waters off the coast of California, near Florida, in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Sea, as well as near Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the coast of South Africa. The spiny lobster looks different than the clawed lobster, as it has very long antennae to sense movement nearby, is covered with pointy spines to protect itself from predators, and do not have big front claws, but five identical pairs of legs- most meat is found in the tail.  

What is the history of a lobster?

Many centuries ago in North America, there were so many lobsters that Native Americans used them as bait to catch fish as well as to fertilize their fields. 

In colonial days, lobster was known as food for the poor and were fed to prisoners, indentured servants, and children. Up until the early 1800’s, lobsters were caught by hand along the shoreline. However, catching lobsters in traps started in Maine around the time of 1850. Maine currently produces the most amount of lobster in the country. 

When lobster demand grew, they began being canned in 1836. Burnham and Morrill Company was one of the biggest canneries in the country, located in Maine. Burnham and Morrill sent canned lobster to all different parts of the world. When people figured out they could send ship live lobsters the value of the canned lobster went down. 

In the times of World War II, lobster became known as a delicacy. People felt that lobster meat had a lot protein. People could afford to buy lobster because of the “boom” or war-time economy. 

Is lobster healthy to consume?

Yes, lobster is very healthy for consumption. People usually only eat in on special occasions, or when they go out to dinner, but it should be eaten more often for all of its benefits. Lobster has a lot of protein, it has 20 grams in each 3 ounce serving. Lobster is one of the most lean meats as it is not high in saturated fat. Lobster contains a  lot of vitamins. In a 3 ounce serving, lobster has 6% of the Vitamin E needed in a human’s daily diet. Vitamin E helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Additionally, lobster has vitamin B-12 which is needed in the help of producing red blood cells, the formation of DNA, and healthy nerve cells. There are as well a lot of minerals in lobster, such as calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Finally, lobster helps in disease prevention. It is low fat while having a lot of nutrients. The consumption of lobster when eaten regularly can reduce risk of heart disease, protect against Alzheimer’s disease and some types of cancer. 

Lobsters As Food

Do lobsters feel pain?

When it comes to the preparation of lobster to be eaten, there has been a longstanding controversy of whether or not these animals feel pain.  Many may argue that it is abusive and inhumane to place a live animal in a boiling pot of water to face its death.  In contrast, others have said that this practice is justified because lobsters do not feel pain.  Previous studies have shown that lobsters have nervous systems that are so simple that they do not have the ability to process pain.  Thus, the common misconception that lobsters are suffering and thrash around the boiling pot of water due to suffering is invalid.  Instead, this thrashing is an automatic result of an outside stimulus on the lobster itself, not pain.  Craig W. Stevens, a professor of pharmacology at the Center for Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa states, “When you drop a lobster in boiling water, or put a fishhook through a worm, those stimuli cause those muscles to contract...We describe that as pain because of the motor response, which is nothing more than neurons that have been stimulated”.  Furthermore, through scientific research, Stevens explains that what we think to be pain for the lobsters is actually its muscle’s natural reaction to stimulus.  

Where can you catch the best lobster in the United States?

Lobster can be bought in many different places throughout the country, but it is likely that some lobster will be better tasting than others.  This mainly depends on how fresh the lobster is, and thus, where it came from.  Lobster can be found just about anywhere there is an ocean, but one select area has become known for their amazing tasting lobster.  The state of Maine, located right on the ocean, contributes to more than half of the lobsters caught in the United States.  While Maine lobster is available year-round, the lobster is harvested through the winter and early spring months from the bulk that was caught in the summer and fall.  These lobsters are known to have a distinct taste, and as a result, Maine has become a popular destination for people who not only love to eat lobster, but want to learn about it as well.  

How healthy is lobster? 

As lobster has become increasingly popular, and the United States continues to struggle with a rising rate of obesity, people have become more interested in how healthy different foods are.  Although most foods that people love are fatty and sweet, lobster is actually very healthy.  A 100 gram portion of lobster consists of 98 calories, 0.1 grams of fat, and only 72 milligrams of cholesterol.  In comparison, a 100 gram portion of light meat chicken is 173 calories, including 1.3 grams of fat, and 85 milligrams of cholesterol.  Additionally, lobster contains Amino Acids, Magnesium, and numerous Vitamins such as A and B12.  These are all nutrients that are beneficial to the human body and make lobster a healthy alternative to meat consumption.  Overall, despite the mouthwatering taste, lobster is a very healthy food that is safe to indulge in.    

What are the best lobster recipes?

Lobster can be prepared in all different ways and made into many different dishes, each of which are extremely tasteful in their own way.  One of the most popular lobster recipes is the well-known lobster roll.  This consists of lobster chunks mixed with mayonnaise, lemon juice, vegetables such as chopped cucumber or celery, and some salt and pepper.  This mixture is placed in a roll, similar to a hot dog bun, and often has some melted butter brushed on the top.  Another popular recipe is lobster mac and cheese.  The basic recipe includes cooked lobster meat mixed with pasta such as elbow macaroni and a graded mixture of cheeses.  Some may add different spices to their recipe, in addition to topping the dish with fresh bread crumbs.  Lastly, an extremely healthy lobster recipe is simply cooking the lobster meat and placing it on a salad with a variety vegetables.  The lobster will give the dish significant flavor, in addition to adding healthy protein to the meal.  Overall, there are countless recipes that include lobster, and it can be prepared in many different ways.  

Eating Lobsters

Pain free way to kill lobsters

The way lobsters are traditionally cooked is by dropping a live lobster into a boiling pot of water. It takes them three minutes in the boiling water to die. While in there they thrash their tails and make a shrieking noise, some say it's because of the pain they are in, but others think its just gases releasing from the shell. Simon Buckhaven say she's came up with a pain free way to kill lobsters. His CrustaStun uses electric current to stun the lobster. It knocks them out in half a second and kills them in about 3. Buckhaven claims his CrustaStun even makes the lobster taste better. This product is even backed by PETA and the RSPCA, the only thing keeping it from being used everywhere is the high price.

Cooking lobster
The two main ways for cooking a lobster are boiling and steaming them. Boiling is probably the most common way, but also draws the most attention from people saying it hurts the lobsters. Boiling is very easy though all you need to know is how to boil water and you can cook a lobster. First you need to fill a pot big enough for the lobster then just boil the water. Once the water is boiling place the lobster in head first and leaving it in there for about 15 minutes. When the lobster is red it is done and can be taken out. After letting it cool you can break into the shell, are a quick cleaning of the meat you can eat it.
Steaming the lobster is alot like boiling but its a little quicker, and cooks through the meat better. Steaming is used more for large lobsters just because boiling can't cook all of the meat on them. The way you steam a lobster is the same as boiling just with only a inch or so of water, and placing a lid on the pan to trap the steam. After about 12 minutes of steaming the lobster will be hot and ready to eat.

Types of lobster
When most people in New England think about lobster they think about lobster from Maine or from the Cape. There are actually other types of lobster all around the world. There is the spiny lobster which lives off the Californian coast and in the Caribbean. It has no claws and very large antennas. Other types of lobsters are only sold as tails such as the South African, North Australian, Brazilian, and New Zealand. They are all similar just varying a little in color and taste, it just depends not be climate they live in.

Whole Foods Market stops selling live lobster
The Whole Foods Market decided they are not satisfied with the way lobster is kept and stored when live. They think its to hard to maintain the conditions lobsters need to live outside their environment and think keeping them in storage for months isn't right. They will still sell lobster just already frozen ore packaged meat now. In the future if they are convinced that improvements in the handling of live lobster are made, they will consider resuming the lobster market in there stores.

Lobster Entrees

Although lobster is not my favorite seafood, I will always enjoy eating it. There are many different ways to cook or prepare lobster. For example lobster mac & cheese is very good. Also lobster salad is another way you can enjoy lobster. You can find more ways to prepare lobster on this web site: http://www.lobsterfrommaine.com/lobster-recipes.aspx?r=1918

The largest lobster caught in the world was a Shediac lobster off the coast of Nova Scotia Canada in 1977. It was 3 feet and 5 inches long from nose to tail. It weighed 44.4 pounds.

A lobsters diet consists of fish, clams, mussels, crabs, other lobster, sea urchins bait, and other fresh food. They are hunter and gatherers. Lobsters collect the majority of their food during the night time.

Lobsters typically live under or around rocks. This provides them with protection from predictors. It also provides then with with food because animals like mussels are also found in and around rocks. Adolescent lobsters like to live in costal habitats and offshore areas.

Humane way to kill lobster

While some people use the words " it's just a lobster" others have deep concern for the cooking of lobsters. The traditional way to kill lobster is to place a live one into a pot of boiling water. The lobster does not die until the shell becomes 34c which usually takes 3-5 min. Some people believe that the noise is just gas being released from beneath the shell while others will tell you it is the lobster in pain. 50 year old Simon Buckhaven has created a device called the CrustaStun. This machine uses an electrical current to make the lobster unconscious in about half a second. After that, in about 5 seconds the lobster is dead. Many people like this idea and would like to see it used throughout the world. However due to its high price and bulky desighn, having one continently to use at restaurants is hard to do.
Lobster is caught throughout the world for its high profits and demand for meat. Different types of lobster are caught different ways. The most common way to catch lobsters is by setting pots. Lobsterman will drop large metal traps attached to a rope with a floating buoy at the surface. The trap will sit on the ocean floor for days. Inside the trap is bait. The lobsters are attracted to the smell of the bait and crawl inside to get it. After entering the trap, not only can the lobster not get all the bait, but nor can they get out. After some time the boat will come back around, pull up the trap and gather the caught lobster.
Various parts of the lobster are enjoyable to eat. One may eat the claws, arms, or tail of the lobster. In order to eat the meat one must crack the outside shell. To eat the tail, you must snap the back and pull out the meat. After retrieving all the meat lobster is sometimes rinsed in fresh water then soaked in butter.
On June 16th whole foods announced that they were no longer going to carry lobster . " We place as much emphasis on the importance of humane treatment and quality of life for all animals as we do on the expectations for quality and flavor." Whole foods is not satisfied with the way lobsters are caught, placed in stores, and boiled. Whole Foods stresses respect for the animals and although they in mind is the profit, it is more important to treat these creatures humanly