There are a lot of people who love to eat lobsters. Much of this can be acclaimed for its delicious flavor and texture. This is why there are a lot of recipes which contain this main ingredient. But did you know that clawed lobsters actually comprise one family of large aquatic crustaceans? And not only that, there are so many different types of lobsters and lobster tails that it can be hard knowing which one you should get. But here is an article that will let you know things about the lobster.
The lobster is considered as economically significant seafood. This esteemed consideration is due to the fact that it nets to over $1 billion every year. Although there are several groups of aquatic crustaceans that are called lobsters, the one which gets the most association is the clawed lobster. They are in no way related to the squat, slipper or spiny lobsters. On the other hand, the closest relative of a clawed lobster is the reef lobster and the 3 different families of the freshwater crayfish.
Where can they be found?
Lobsters can be found in every ocean. They usually live alone in burrows or crevices under rocks that are found on the sandy, muddy or rocky bottoms of the shoreline and even beyond the edges of a continental shelf.
Types of Lobster
There are two basic types of lobster. But at the same time, lobster tails are being categorized in further types.
Maine Lobster
The Maine lobster is the most popular type of lobster since they are clawed. Under this type, there are 2 different species known as the European and the American. Although these two species are alike in size, the European lobsters have a darker color and their claws are slightly smaller.
Clawed lobsters generally have more meat than the other type of lobsters which is the reason why they are being sold live. Typically, these lobsters thrive in the cold and shallow waters.
Spiny Lobster
Unlike the first type of lobster, the spiny lobsters do not have claws. Instead, they have a larger antenna and harder shell. These lobsters are being supported by the Caribbean and the California coast.
Since spiny lobsters don’t have any claws, people get most of its meat from their tails. This is why they are usually sold live locally or simply harvested for their tails. They are warm water lobsters.
Ethical Issues
When it comes to killing lobsters, there are some ethical issues which arise. This is because the most popular method to kill a lobster is to place it (alive) in boiling water. There are others who split them: severe their body in half, vertically.
In Nazi Germany, boiling lobsters and crabs while they are alive was illegal. In Reggio Emilia, Italy, offenders that are caught boiling these crustaceans alive are being fined €495.
This is why other methods are being used. In a belief to stop their suffering, there are some who stab the brain of the lobster before they are placed in boiling water. A Norwegian study has learned that placing a lobster in a salt solution for 15 minutes can de-sensitize it. But there are still a lot of people who prefer boiling lobsters in order to kill them.