Maine Lobster Facts

---

The American lobster, scientific name Homarus Americanus is the largest and heaviest crustacean in the world and can reach a body length of 25 inches and weigh as much as 44 lbs.  These lobsters are more commonly known as Maine lobsters since they are most frequently found off the coast of Maine, but their habitat extends along the Northeast coast of the Atlantic from Labrador in Canada and even as far south as North Carolina.  They live in cold water normally at depths of 12 to 150 feet but have been found as deep as 1500 ft.  When removed from the water, they can survive up to 48 hours.  Lobsters cannot live in fresh water and will drown.  Our lobsters are brought in by FedEx, priority overnight shipping from New York within 24 hours after taken out of the water. 

The best tasting lobsters with the best shell to meat ratio will be a hard shell lobster that has grown in cold waters like those found off the coast of Maine and Canada.  A lobster that has recently molted and has a soft shell will not taste as good and the shell to meat ratio will be poor.  This is why we do not sell soft shell lobsters.  Smaller lobsters like those commonly sold in supermarkets or restaurants with a live weight of 1 to 1.5 lbs also do not have a good shell to meat ratio and this is why we recommend buying a lobster with a live weight of 2 to 4 lbs.  Contrary to what many people may think, a bigger lobster’s meat is not “tougher” than a smaller lobster.  The cause of a lobster’s meat being tough or chewy is due to overcooking and we strongly recommend doing a search on how to properly cook lobster on YouTube or Google. 

Some places may keep or raise lobsters in lobster pounds, which are tanks filled with nearby sea water and have a regulated environment.  Unfortunately, these lobsters are often in poor health and may contain artificial antibiotics to prevent them from dying.  

All the lobsters we sell are wild caught and not farm raised. 🦞