25 facts about lobster - did you know this?

Do you know these facts about lobster? Eating lobster is becoming more and more popular, especially at parties, holidays and seafood restaurants. Did you know this about lobster?

Lobster

Lobsters (Nephropidae) are a family of ten-footed crustaceans, described by James Dwight Dana in 1852. The animal has at times been perceived as a poor man's food, but today it is an exclusive commodity known as 'the black gold of the sea' and is often served at fancy parties and celebrations such as New Year's Eve.

Facts about lobster

Here we have gathered a number of interesting facts about lobster. We have used sources such as WWF and Life in the Sea, but also Wikipedia and recipe sites. Enjoy!

1. Humans live in salt water

Lobsters live in salt water, at a depth of 6-50 metres, on rocky bottoms. For example, you can find European lobster in the waters off Tromsø in the UK. Norway and all the way down to the Mediterranean Sea. In Sweden, it lives along the Swedish west coast. On the American side of the Atlantic there are closely related species, similar to our lobster, but with a spine on the underside of the forehead horn.

2. The lobster is active at night

The lobster is active at night, when it hunts for food. During the day, it hides in crevices and under rocks.

3. Shell the lobster

Lobster, like crayfish, a hard shell that it has to mould in order to grow. When young, lobsters shed their shells several times a year, but after sexual maturity they shed their shells only once a year or every two years.

4. European and American lobster are sometimes confused

American and European lobsters are easily confused. You can tell the difference between the two species by looking under the forehead tag, where the American lobster has one or two small tags.

5. Lobsters eat bottom-dwelling animals

The lobster eats all kinds of bottom-dwelling animals, such as mussels, crustaceans, snails, sea urchin worms and sea urchins. In addition, lobsters are scavengers.

6. Bumblebees grow old

Bumblebees are long-lived and can live up to 50 or 60 years.

7. Bumblebees can get big

Bumblebees are usually around 30 cm long and weigh around 1 kg, but they can get bigger. The maximum size is around 50 cm and 4 kg. According to sea.now they even found a lobster that was almost 1 metre long and weighed 9.3 kg.

8. A lobster reaches sexual maturity at 4-8 years of age.

The age of sexual maturity varies, but usually lobsters reach sexual maturity at 4-8 years of age.

9. The lobster's claws are asymmetrical

The lobster's first pair of legs includes two claws, one of which is much larger and the other much smaller. The larger one is used to crush food, while the smaller one is narrower and sharper.

10. The lobster can walk backwards

A lobster usually walks forwards, but it can also walk backwards. It is the two rear pairs of legs that assist in locomotion.

11. There are blue lobsters

Blue lobsters are very rare, but they are occasionally found. The colour is due to a genetic abnormality that causes the lobster to produce more of a certain protein than other lobsters. According to one calculation, the probability of catching a blue lobster is estimated at one in two million.

12. Lobster fishing in Sweden is limited

In Swedish waters, lobster may be fished from 07:00 on the first Monday after 20 September until 30 November.

13. Lobster fished with lobster tuna

The only authorised way to fish for lobster is with a lobster trap. Fishing with other gear, such as traps, nets and crab pots, as well as hand-picking lobsters while diving, is prohibited.

14. You have to clean your lobster pot yourself.

Lobster fishermen must personally set and then weed their lobster traps. It is therefore not permitted to set out lobster traps and then ask someone else to weed them.

15. Live lobsters can be stored in a sump

After fishing for lobsters, the live animals can be kept in a sump (a cage submerged in the water at the jetty) until the lobsters are eaten or sold. Swamping is not allowed before the lobster season.

16. Females with roe may not be fished

It is not allowed to fish female lobsters with visible roe, and if a roe-bearing lobster is caught, it must be returned to the sea immediately.

17. Too small lobsters must not be fished

Hummers that do not meet the minimum size may also not be fished. The minimum size is 9 centimetres, measured from the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the head shield, measured parallel to the midline.

18. Strict rules for lobster fishing

As lobsters are sold at high prices, poaching occurs in the weeks before the lobster season. The rules against this are strict, and offences are punishable by fines or imprisonment.

19. Lobster is a delicacy

Today, lobster is a classic delicacy. In Sweden, lobster is often served boiled, either whole or halved, and possibly oven-baked, Lobster soup is also a popular dish.

20. In the past, lobster was considered a poor man's food.

Lobsters have not always been seen as a delicacy. In the 17th century, the animals were only used as fish bait and as food for poor people, slaves and prisoners. In Massachusetts, out of concern for prisoners, it was even forbidden to serve lobster for dinner more than twice a week in prisons. According to Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö.

21. Exclusive shops keep lobsters alive

Exclusive shops, markets and restaurants sometimes keep lobsters alive in aquariums so that customers can choose which lobster they want to buy - live or cooked.

22. In Cajun cuisine, lobster is often grilled.

Lobster is also popular in Cajun cuisine in the USA. There, however, it is common to grill the lobster and season it strongly.

23. Lobster is not kosher

Lobster is not kosher according to the Jewish religion, which means that strictly observant Jews do not eat lobster.

24. On the west coast you can go on a lobster safari!

On the west coast, particularly in Bohuslän, it has become popular for tourists to go on lobster safaris. The tours allow you to watch the weathering of the lobster traps and learn more about lobsters and lobster fishing.

25. Many people eat lobster at New Year

On New Year's Eve, you want to eat something extra festive and today lobster is one of the popular ingredients. For example, it is common to serve lobster au gratin or lobster soup as a starter. However, this was not always the case. Well into the 20th century, New Year's Eve food was a repetition of Christmas food.

More exciting facts about lobster

We conclude with some more exciting facts about lobsters...

• Lobster has been served at the Nobel dinnerincluding in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.
• Lobster can be served in creative ways. How about lobster panna cotta or lobster macaroni box?
• National Lobster Day is celebrated in the USA, and possibly in other countries, on 15 June each year.
• McLobster is a lobster sandwich served at McDonald's in Canada and New England in the USA.

More facts about lobster?

Do you know any more interesting facts about lobsters? Or perhaps you can share some exciting lobster stories?

Many of the images in this article are borrowed from the Pixabay and Unsplash image banks.