Just Another Day At Sea
Last summer, 10 miles off the coast, in the middle of Massachusetts Bay is where you could have found me. Just an average day of lobstering the F/V Shooting star. But today, today would not end up being average at all. As I recall, we were fishing in about 370 feet of water over rocky bottom. It was three traps into our seventeenth trawl. The trap came up, and something happened that had never happened to us before. A blue lobster was crawling around in the back end of the trap amongst the other lobsters. We carefully picked it up and banded it. After, we placed it in a separate tank so that nothing would happen to it during the steam in. We brought it back to the dock, but never thought about selling it! I mean, how could we... isn't it beautiful.
Although not as rare, we also caught this discolored lobster the same year. Pretty cool!
Which discoloration do you think is more interesting?
As always, please upvote and comment what you think!
And for more about my fishing background.. click below
https://steemit.com/steemit/@modernsuperior/how-fishing-made-me-who-i-am-today-from-entitled-to-thankful
@modernsuperior being Massachusetts born and raised and having a passion for the sea as well as seafood this is one of the most amazing things I have seen! Lobstering in general is a tough industry, but coming up with a BLUE lobster is mind blowing.
I wonder how rare blue lobsters like this really are! Do you have an idea!?
A quick Google search gives numbers such as 1/2,000,000, so they are pretty rare. However, they has not really been any studies on the frequency, so all numbers you come across are guesses and estimates, not actual numbers.
Awesome!!!! FULL STEEM AHEAD!!!!!
That is really cool! Finding blue lobsters are extremely rare, as I'm sure you are aware of, seeing as you have a fishing background! But thanks for sharing this story and the photos with us ;)
Whattt? I didn't know this was a thing O_O! Dopee
Happy to show you!
It sounds like achievement in some RPG :)
I wouldn't mind that title!
You definitely deserve it ;)
I have never seen this before. Good post
I spend much of my summer on Cape Cod every year and remember when I was much younger that a local fisherman caught a blue lobster and put it in a tank on display at a local restaurant. I remember my dad taking me to see it and it drew quite a crowd to the restaurant. They really are beautiful creatures
I'm glad I could provide you with that happy flashback!
Did you ask him why he was so blue?
must of had a tough day! ahhaha
Are those really the odds of pulling a blue Lobster?
That's what they say! But who could know for sure?
Im blue daba dee daba doo.
Blue lobster?? I 've never even heard of such a thing! Very cool.
I hadn't either.. until we caught it!
Incredible pictures. What a great adventure that was. Love the beautiful blue lobster!
Awesome! Never knew those existed!
Do the blue ones taste better?
All the same! But they are so pretty I don't think anyone ever tries. They are typically put on display in restaurant tanks etc as a show piece. I've heard they can fetch a pretty penny to the right buyer!
Wow! That's beautiful! Never seen one like it :D
I hadn't either!
Keep discovering :D :P
thank you!! keep posting!
Yes I will! Cheers mate :D
So what causes the discolorations?
A genetic mutation. The lobster's body makes too much of a certain protein, which turns its shell blue. Most lobsters are an olive-brown color or brownish-black. Lobsters only really turn that bright pinkish/red color we are all so used to after they are cooked!
Very cool. Gotta love genetic variation. I still have yet to try lobster. I hear I am missing out.
Cool post. Resteemed by @ned. Pretty cool.
maybe he has a fishing backround! Or a love for the sea like I do.
As a kid, I used to go crabbing on the Chesapeake Bay for blue crabs (which can be pricey) but blue lobster... wow! Curious, at what price would you have sold it?
Some go for over 500 to be displayed. I spent last summer in D.C.. so I can assure you blue crabs are definitely pricey. But something about that old bay seasoning makes it all worth it.
Those are so rare, lucky dude! :)
Did you paint it somehow ? :P
No way!
I have never seen it before. Good post，very cool！
Such a beautiful colour!
My local fish shop sells the tiny versions of these little guys once in awhile:
https://www.google.com/search?q=aquarium+blue+lobster&rlz=1C1MSIM_enUS591US591&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiAkO7ogKnUAhWF7CYKHfEKDIYQ_AUICygC&biw=1097&bih=515
Thats a blue crayfish!
Wow what a being creature! In the food preparation industry they use blue gloves apparently because there are no blue foods so it makes it easier to find stray gloves that have fallen in pots or dishes. Someone needs to change the rules before some gets served lobster and gloves for dinner! ;-)
It almost looks like a piece of pottery rather than a living thing, being so blue.
So smooth and shiny.
Incredible! I am going to celebrate. LOBSTER! MY HOUSE!!! LOL!
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I have heard of the blue lobster before, but never knew of anyone who had seen or caught one. That's a story for the ages. Nice!
I love to eat lobsters but probably would have let that blue one go
wow, now that's interesting I never dream to see one not even know that they exist! it's so cool and interesting. thanks for sharing.
Wow. I have never seen a blue one.
So beautiful. What happened to him?
Eventually, we just let him go. Hopefully another lucky fisherman brings him up one day!
That's awesome do you know what makes a lobster blue. Not nearly as cool but we have a little state park out here my way where all the squirrels and deer and albino. Still not as cool as a blue lobster though.
Just how rare are these creatures? According to this article on BBC it is about one in two-million.
How do they work it out?
Original BBC article link: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36369687