Live Lobsters - The Best Way To Enjoy Lobster At Home

Many people associate lobster with an elegant meal or an important occasion.  Lobster can be consumed simply, boiled or steamed, or used in a wide array of dishes and salads. It can be served as lobster soup or mixed with mayonnaise or salad dressing for lobster rolls. Lobster meat is often dipped in melted butter, resulting in a sweetened flavor.

Lobsters are economically important as seafood, forming the basis of a global industry that nets US$1.8 billion in trade annually. Lobsters grow throughout their lives and it is not unusual for a lobster to live for more than 100 years and to reach impressive sizes. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest lobster was caught in Nova Scotia, Canada, and weighed 20.14 kg (44.4 lb). 

Of the 30 or so types of clawed lobsters worldwide, the Maine lobster is by far the most popular to be eaten whole.  Maine lobster is also known as American lobster and can be found from the Canadian Maritimes down to North Carolina, about 1300 miles to the south.

Fresh lobster has the finest flavor, consequently they are normally shipped live. Live lobsters are usually shipped and sold with their claws banded to prevent them from injuring each other or the purchaser. Many restaurants that serve seafood keep a tank of the live lobsters, often allowing patrons to pick their own. While live seafood must be cooked on the day it is received, many fisheries will ship flash-frozen lobster tails and claws which can be thawed, cooked and enjoyed when you are ready.

Although many sea creatures, including salmon, oysters, and mussels, are raised successfully through sea farming or aquaculture,  lobsters are not easy to raise in captivity. One issue is that lobsters kept in close quarters will eat each other. Also, lobsters grow very slowly, taking an average of 5-7 years to reach market size. These factors have prevented anyone from making a profit on lobster farming and therefore, lobster is likely to remain a rare treat, associated with romantic dinners and special celebrations.