Both Maine and Canadian Lobsters belong to the same species – “Homarus Americanusâ€. However, differences between these two types of lobsters lie in their area of inhabitation and their physical makeup.
A Brief History of Our Beloved Crustaceans
In times of the past, lobsters were abundant and were deemed as a non-desirable food group. They were usually used as bait, livestock feed, prison food. So how did this food group become a delicacy of today?
Lobsters were cooked and canned as a form of army provisions in the 18th century for the Civil War. People who ate these canned lobsters enjoyed it but were ignorant about the origins of it being a non-desirable food.
People would travel to New England to eat fresh lobsters, and this started the transformation from a poor man’s food to a delicacy. The demand rose as people started to crave lobsters in their own countries.
As demand for fresh lobsters have risen, so have people’s appetite for lobsters from popular regions. To capitalise on this demand, suppliers started transporting these fresh lobsters live. As a result of the logistics arrangements, lobsters are now a delicacy that we can enjoy in many countries around the world.
Maintaining the Lobster Population
In America, catching lobsters is a regulated activity that fishers have to abide to. According to legal restrictions, fishermen have to measure every single lobster that is reeled in by their lobster pot. A lobster gauge must be used to measure the lobster by starting from the eyes to the end of the carapace.
For a successful catch, the minimum length of a lobster should be above 8.5 centimetres. If it is below the required 8.5 centimetres, the captor must release it back to the ocean as it is still growing. Also, if a lobster is over 13 centimetres, it should be released back into the sea as they are in an excellent size for breeding. This greatly helps to maintain and grow the lobster population.
Maine Lobsters
The American lobster, known scientifically as ‘Homarus Americanus,’ belongs to a species of crustaceans. They are found on the Atlantic coast of North America, and are commonly called Maine lobsters as they are most frequently found off the coast of Maine.
The habitats of these creatures tend to be in cold and shallow waters. These waters are filled with rocks for the lobster to stay safe and out of sight from predators. They usually reside at 4 to 50 meters in the ocean but can be found at 460 meters below the surface level.
In Maine, the sea temperature is higher than the waters in Canada. This causes the lobsters from Maine to be softer than their Canadian counterparts. The slightly warmer environment cause the meat of Maine lobsters to be tenderer and taste more delicious.
When Maine lobsters are removed from the water, they can survive up to 48 hours. Transportation of the Maine lobster is carried out overnight to maintain the quality, flavour, and freshness.
Canadian Lobsters
Canadian lobsters thrive in colder temperatures, in which their shells become denser. This affects its physical characteristics, with the sweetness and tenderness of the meat being relatively less than that of Maine lobsters.
As their shells are denser, Canadian lobsters can survive outside of water for up to 72 hours. People often choose to purchase Canadian lobsters based on their survivability duration, which makes them easier to transport and distribute. Canadian lobster suppliers capitalise on this to distribute fresh lobsters to consumers. Hence, most lobsters in supermarkets are Canadian lobsters.
Canadian lobster prices are much lower than the prices of Maine lobster because the latter has a higher demand with people raving about it.
Lobster Pounds
A lobster pound a facility that houses lobsters in tanks for rearing purposes. The tanks are filled with nearby sea water and have a regulated environment. Over time, due to the increased demand for lobsters, a significant part of the global supply is derived from lobster pounds.
Lobster pounds often feature an in-house restaurant. These restaurants specialise in lobster dishes and cater to lobster lovers. Other than lobster, they also serve other varieties of seafood such as salmon.
Unfortunately, lobsters from pounds are often poor in health and contain artificial antibiotics to prevent them from dying. While they may appear to be healthy, negative health issues may arise from their long-term consumption.
Recapping the Differences Between Maine & Canadian Lobsters
As we recap what we have discussed above, Maine lobsters have softer shells that make their meat tenderer and sweeter. Canadian lobsters have harder shells, which cause their meat to be less tender and sweet.
However, Canadian lobsters can survive up to 72 hours while Maine lobsters can only survive up to 48 hours. Hence, both lobsters have their pros and cons. From this comparison, we can see that Maine lobsters are renowned for their sweetness, tenderness, and juicy claw meat.
In terms of taste and mouthfeel, Maine would win over Canadian lobsters. However, if your budget does not allow you to purchase Maine lobsters, Canadian lobsters are a great alternative. Even if they are less sweet and tender, they are still a global delicacy.
Choose The Ocean Mart as Your Local Seafood Distributor
The Ocean Mart | Aliment Group Pte Ltd is an experienced local seafood distributor that focuses on sourcing and providing quality seafood to consumers. Our mission is to provide high quality live, chilled, and frozen seafood at the convenience of our consumers.
All you need to do is to place an order online, and we will have your seafood delivered right to your doorsteps. We understand that the quality of the product defines a business. Hence, we take pride in the fact that the majority of our products are imported directly from the source.
Live products are professionally stored in specialised water tanks to mimic natural habitat conditions. Chilled and frozen products are stored in chillers and freezers to ensure that there will be no compromise in quality.
Order Canadian lobsters from our online store today.