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American Lobster

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
Welzijn
Informatie over vissoort
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General

Lobsters and crayfish

Lobsters live in saltwater whilst crayfish live in freshwater habitats. Lobsters and crayfish are most often caught using pots or traps. Most lobsters are equipped with ten legs and two scissors as front legs. With these scissors, they are able to grab, cut or crack their food. Did you know lobsters and crayfish, just lie snakes, change their skin because their shell does not grow with their bodies? After changing their shell the animal grows fast and increases in weight.

There are many different lobster species. Most common are the American lobster in the north-western Atlantic ocean, and the European lobster in the north-eastern Atlantic ocean. Lobsters have a relatively slow growth rate and reach sexual maturity at a late age. Another frequently consumed lobster is the Norway lobster. This species is way smaller than the American and European lobster. This species occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Mediterranean sea.

 

 

American Lobster

The American lobster can be found along the north-eastern coast of Canada up to the USA. These scavengers can reach sizes up to 60 cm and weigh up to 20 kg. The lobsters make their homes in holes between rocks on rocky ocean floors. The American lobster is quite similar to the European lobster but can be distinguished by the spines on their claws. While the American lobster has red spines on its claws, the European lobster has white spines on its claws.

 

American Lobster

Homarus americanus
Origin

Atlantic Ocean, northwest (FAO 21)

Farming- / Catch method

Pots and traps

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Explanation assessment

The first U.S. lobster fishery became MSCMSC:
Marine Stewardship Council, an independent, international non-profit organization that has developed an eco-label that guarantees well-managed, sustainable fisheries. Fish products that meet the criteria of the eco-label can be identified by the blue MSC logo.
-certified in 2013. Lobster is caught with pots and traps. This method of capture is considered a sustainable fishing technique in many fisheries because it is selective and low impact. However, in the U.S. lobster fishery, this unfortunately causes entanglement of the critically endangered Arctic char (Eubalaena glacialis) in the lines and ropes of the pots. The population is facing extinction in part because of this, and this fishery has been identified as a major cause of the declining whale population.

Good Fish has therefore given this fishery a red rating in the VISwijzer and does not support this MSC-certified fishery.

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.

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