“The most valuable lobster is a plate-ready live lobster,” said Hugh Reynolds of Greenhead Lobster. “But the next most valuable lobster is one with an uninjured, perfect tail.”
During the summer of 2012, the Town of Stonington received Rural Development funding that supported a pilot study of on-boat handling practices conducted by Penobscot East Resource Center. This pilot was documented by an informational video, “Stonington Lobster: Creating A Quality Brand,” produced by Stonington’s Opera House Arts and had a limited local release in September. The DVD is now being made available to all island lobster license holders as well as statewide.
The results of the study are clear: after 28 days and 1008 lobsters, the pilot showed that the lobsters handled and landed aboard vessels following the best handling protocols had far fewer injuries. Only eight out of every 100 lobsters aboard these vessels showed injury, while the numbers were much higher on boats that had made no changes: at 33 out of every 100. The “Best Handling Practices” were able to reduce injuries to lobsters by over 70 percent. An injured lobster is less valuable in the market.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Maine Insights