Lobster

When diners think of a lobster dinner, their minds may light up with visions of delicious buttery meals, but few of us ever take the time to consider what goes into creating a lobster ready for consumption. From its beginning as a tiny larva in the ocean depths, to the complex and painstaking process of getting it to a dinner plate, the journey of a lobster is an intricate series of complexities which makes for an interesting study.

The Lobster Life Cycle

Lobsters are part of a unique family of crustaceans known as Decapoda, which include crayfish, shrimp, and crabs. They are invertebrate animals that have external skeletons and jointed legs, two of which are larger than the rest and used for gripping and grasping. Unlike other arthropods, most lobsters have an exoskeleton made of a strong and durable material known as chitin, which allows them to survive in a variety of tough environments.

The life cycle of a lobster begins with an egg, formed during mating between an adult female and a male lobster. Once the egg is fertilized, it attaches to the female’s swimmerets, where it may remain attached for up to six months before hatching. The egg eventually breaks open and the newborn lobster, known as a “nauplius,” will live and feed on zooplankton until it molts and morphs into a “zoea” lobster. This stage may last for several weeks, as the lobster gradually becomes more mature.

During the next stage, the “megalops,” the lobster will develop a pair of large claw-like appendages, which are used for defense and for catching prey. As an adult, the lobster will reach a length of up to three feet and may weigh up to twenty pounds. Lobsters are capable of living for decades, with the oldest known individual reaching an estimated age of one hundred and fifty years.

Fishing and Harvesting

Lobsters are usually caught by humans with lobster traps, or with nets and dredges. Traps are baited with dead fish and crustaceans, which will attract lobsters so they can be pulled up out of the water. The traps are designed to close once the lobsters enter, and they will stay confined until the traps are opened or the lobsters are pulled out.

Most lobsters are wild-caught, though some farms do exist and are becoming increasingly popular, especially in regions such as Scotland and New England. Farmed lobsters can also be processed for use in canned products, as is done in Canada.

Processing & Transportation

Once a lobster is harvested, it can be processed in a number of different ways. The simplest method is to pack the lobster in boxes filled with either seawater or ice and then transport it to its destination. To avoid spoilage, lobsters must be kept alive during all stages of the transportation process or they will soon begin to rot. In order to extend the shelf life of lobsters, they are commonly held in holding tanks filled with saltwater and then transported in aerated containers to prevent suffocation.

Many countries also have regulations for how lobsters should be handled and transported, in order to ensure that they are sustainably harvested and ethically treated. In the US and Canada, all lobsters must be injected with a tracking device before being shipped, in order to track their movements and guarantee that they were not illegally obtained.

Preparing for the Plate

The last stage of the journey of a lobster is the most important: getting it prepared for a dinner plate. This can be done in a number of ways, including boiling, steaming, and grilling. Many chefs prefer to boil their lobsters, as this is the quickest and simplest method of cooking them.

However, this method has recently come under fire due to concerns about animal cruelty. Some believe that it’s unethical to cook a living creature and argue that the lobster may experience pain while it's being boiled alive. As a result, some chefs now opt to use the “mercy killing” method, in which they kill the lobster prior to cooking it. Other methods of preparing a lobster for consumption include steaming or grilling.

The Final Result

Regardless of how it is cooked, once a lobster is prepared, it is ready to be served on a dinner plate and enjoyed by its lucky diner. The journey from a lobster larva in the ocean depths to a dinner plate is both impressive and complex, but thanks to a combination of human ingenuity and regulatory measures, it is now possible to enjoy a delicious lobster dinner with minimal environmental impact.