A Lost Claws? What’s next for lobsters

By Blair Penn

Illustrated by Abbey Piatt Price

Ordering lobster at a restaurant is a classy statement; listed as ‘MP,’ lobsters mean money. They are often a celebratory food served at special occasions, like weddings. My Dad grew up always having lobster on his birthday as a once a year treat and break from being Kosher, so eating lobster was super special for him. Thus lobster meaning fancy has been seared into my brain. Imagine if lobsters could talk? Without a doubt they would have a crisp British accent, and in my mind, that image of a lobster is not complete without a top hat and cane. Believe it or not, lobsters have come a long way; the American masses once thought of lobsters as the ‘cockroach of the sea,’ then later as the ‘poor man’s protein,’ and finally the image of a lobster is equated to ‘fine dining.’ Unfortunately, with the current environmental struggles, the image of the lobster may fail to keep evolving, and the future of these classy crustaceans remains unclear.

When the first European settlers reached America, lobsters were abundant, and could be found washed ashore in piles up to two-feet high. Many people consumed lobsters only during hard times, which gave them their less than reputation. American Settlers were not the first group of people to take advantage of lobster’s abundance, and before the Settlers reached America, Native Americans used lobsters to fertilize their crops and as bait for fishing. Native Americans often ate crustaceans by preparing them covered in seaweed and baking them over hot rocks, which became the inspiration for the classic New England clambake.

During the 1700s in Maine, special boats called smacks started being used; these boats had tanks with holes that allowed seawater to circulate which allowed fishermen to keep their lobsters alive as they transported them. Lobsters then became dirt-cheap because they were so abundant! As a result of this they were typically fed to prisoners, apprentices, slaves, and children during the colonial era and beyond. When railways started to spread through America, transportation managers realized something: if no one knew what lobsters are, trains could serve them to passengers as if they were a rare, exotic, and exciting item! These inland passengers were intrigued, and found the lobster delicious. These passengers, who didn’t know that it was considered trash food on the coast, began to love it and ask for it outside of the train.

Lobster was first introduced into restaurants in the 1850s and 1860s in the salad bar section, alongside bread, or cottage cheese. Americans loved lobster, even in this cheap, lowdown way, so they demanded more, driving the price up. By the 1880s, chefs had discovered that lobster could be a lot more appetizing if they cooked it live instead of killing it first and cooking it later.

During World War II, lobster was not rationed like other food, and so people of all classes began to enjoy lobster and discover its deliciousness. Eventually this drove the price way up, so, by the 1950s lobster was established as a delicacy, something people ate on their birthday or what the Rockefellers served at their parties.

Lobster is a food that has been used to mark the passage of presidents, and to welcome the prominent figures to the US. Lobsters have been served at many inaugural presidential events – George Bush and Ronald Reagan dined on Lobster during their inaugural luncheons. More recently, President Obama featured lobster in seafood stew during his inaugural luncheon. Lobster was also served to welcome guests to the white house such as Chinese President Hu Jintao and Queen Elizabeth.

So what is up with lobsters in 2023? Unfortunately, their image is not so cut and dry. On the one hand, curbing lobster fishing is at the top of priorities for sustainability groups. Lobster nets and pots have become a threat to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, so lobsters have been red listed to protect these whales. More than 80% of right whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once, which can be embedded in their skin, weighing them down and leaving them unable to swim or feed properly.

On the other hand, Millennials, encompassing those born between 1981 and 1996, have an interesting relationship and view of lobsters. Millennials, as a generation, care about their health and lobster is a healthy food, but they also have environmental concerns. They love luxury items, especially those with a personal touch and story behind them, like the lobster. In fact, in 2016, a survey by Nation’s Restaurant News concluded that Red Lobster is the restaurant of choice for those between the ages of 18 and 24. The rating came as a surprise to the Red Lobster CEO ashe said the restaurant has not been directly advertising to millennials.

Clearly there is something attractive about the rugged, yet classy lobster, and it must still serves as a symbol of wealth and luxury as millennials are yearning to consume it with a glass of white wine. Few realize it was once as cheap as a Big Mac, and it will be interesting to see over the next 100 years where we will find ourselves on this journey with lobster.