These tasty crustaceans are found as far north as Labrador in Canada and as far south as North Carolina. In addition to the lack of claws in the Florida lobster, additional minor variations are present. Spiny Lobster live in warmer waters and can be found throughout the more sub tropical and tropical areas around the world like the Caribbean, florida, California, Mexico, South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland etc. And these days, you don't need to live on the brisk Maine coast to access a lobster dinner. The important thing is that they have differences in the taste of lobster meat. Maine lobster tails only have four sets of legs on the underside, and they don't have visible spines or the spot that marks a warm-water lobster tail. Discover the Largest Lobster Ever Caught! Spiny Lobster and Maine Lobster - Why are they different? Some refer to them as American lobster or Northern lobster, but as expected by their most common name, they are plentiful in the northeastern coastal waters, from Canada to North Carolina, with their numbers drastically dwindling the further south they go. The spiny lobster has a hard shell, longer antennae, and longer, spidery-looking legs compared to the Maine lobster. Most American lobsters are sold between 1 and 2 pounds and roughly 9 inches long. This lobster's habitat ranges from South Carolina to Brazil. Now, lets look at even more differences between them. New England's mail order In addition, the meat on a warm water lobster is not much. You need about 5 minutes for a 2.5-lb lobster, while a mid-size Spiny lobster is about 3lbs. To meet the high demand for spiny lobster, Elite imported lobster from Nicaragua and Belize for reexport to China, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Florida. Regardless of what species you are fishing for, bag limits are only for properly licensed individuals and those people exempt from license requirements who are actively harvesting. Crayfish vs Lobster: 5 Key Differences Explained, Watch a Fisherman Catch a Rare, 1-in-2 Million Blue Lobster Then Do the Unthinkable, Tiny Crab Nearly Drowns a Large Bald Eagle in Impressive Fight, Discover The Largest Lobster Ever Caught in Maine. Spiny lobsters don't. The two are not closely related, being the same order as crabs, shrimp and crayfish. The first thing to look at is the shape of the tail. Females have a slightly wider tail, than the mail lobster. Generally speaking, spiny lobster tastes, well, like lobster, with medium sweetness and a bit on the firmer side, especially since it does not have knuckle or claw meat. Natural variations due to the life cycle of the lobster will have a much bigger impact on the taste and shell thickness than water temperature. Crab is high in protein, which is important for building and maintaining muscle tissue, and also provides a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help boost heart health, and are thought to aid brain function. Protein: 21g. Chen Ting Yee is listed as the president of Elite Sky International, which also has an office in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. Conch Key, Florida-based commercial fisherman Gary Nichols described Elite Sky as the largest spiny lobster buyer and broker in the world," according to Keys News. However, like spiny lobsters, they live in muddy caves, rock reefs, crevices, or burrows on the sea floors worldwide. The Difference between Maine Lobster and Rock (Spiny) Lobster, The Best Seafood in Portland, Maine (2023 Edition), Buying Maine Lobster online (2023 Edition). Maine lobsters are generally a greenish-brown or black color when alive. Yes, lobster is a delicious, meaty seafood variety that can be enjoyed in dozens of tasty ways, from hot buttered rolls to creamy mac and cheese and much more. Your email address will not be published. Sometimes, this antenna can be longer than the body. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. To people who enjoy shellfish, the two taste very similar, but you can only order one of them whole. Small lobsters are too "short" to take legally. Delicious! They can grow up to 24 inches long and are commercially and recreationally fished. The Maine Lobster, with shells that appear quite red after cooking, is the namesake of the restaurant chain for a reason. Its flavor can be likened to that of a crab. It tastes quite a bit like Maine lobster, but the meat is a bit firmer since it comes from the tail. No, our warm water lobster (also known as Caribbean spiny lobster) is not a close relative of the cold water Maine lobster. A small female Lobster can have as many as 6,000 eggs while a large female can carry as many as 100,000 eggs! You can cook rock lobster similarly to Atlantic lobster, such as by grilling or steaming. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saut pan over medium heat. Did you know that Lobster research suggests that they keep growing indefinitely. That means you would do well to buy live spiny lobster if you can find them. Heres the difference that makes Maine lobster the best: If you are looking to purchase Maine lobster, get as close to the source as possible. There are a few obvious differences and a few subtle differences as well. Every year, the fins of as many as 73 million sharks are taken by fishermen, with demand largely driven by China, where shark fin soup is a symbol of status for the rich and powerful. Appearance-wise, it's mostly white with tinges of a red hue. The first thing you should know is that there is a significant difference between the two. Another obvious difference is the color. As you can see, the antenna is very large and thick, plus theres no large claw either. Amesbury, Massachusetts 01913 Do you plan on visiting Portland, Maine soon? Maine lobster meat is sweet and tender, while the Canadian lobster comes in larger sizes. However, it is still not similar. The family, Palinuridae, includes langoustes and langoustines, which are similar crustaceans found in South Asia. To view our latest special e-Edition click the image on the left. 2. They have a similar meaty texture, but the more subtle flavor means that these shellfish are often cooked with bolder sauces and seasonings. Want seafood news sent directly to your inbox? It doesnt have the large claws for hunting and defense like its cousin from the state of Maine. If you like this content, you should check out Box of Maine! Their rarity could also make them more prized on a global scale; while Maine lobsters are only found in Atlantic waters, spiny lobsters are available outside of the U.S. as well, specifically off the Asian coast and in southern Brazil, per AZ Animals, and in the Caribbean Sea, as noted by NOAA Fisheries. The spiny lobster's main defense is its speed. Elite is a Florida corporation and licensed seafood wholesaler located at 1100 Overseas Highway. You can by live Maine lobster just about anywhere in the country but they don't eat in captivity and tend to shrink inside their carapace. Another visible difference is that Spiny Lobster have small spines on the top of their bodies for protection while the top of Maine Lobster is smooth. If you've ever had a Maine lobster before, the claw has the most tender meat, which is why we prefer the Maine lobster. Please call the FWC Marathon office at 305-289-2320. Our jumbo lobsters come from Canada due to differences in fishing regulations between Canada and the United States. So which one tastes better? Price. Spiny lobsters have smaller claws that are inedible and long antennae, while Maine lobsters have shorter antennae but larger claws with edible meat. They have four trucks going up and down the road at any given time, Nichols said after company officials were indicted last June. Received frozen lobster and cooked some up. Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season and . You now have a cooked lobster that's ready to eat as it is. Whether you enjoy your lobster smothered in cold mayo Maine-style or hot and buttery Connecticut-style, you truly cant go wrong with a toasted bun stuffed with succulent Maine lobster. Spiny lobsters can live for 50 years or more, while Maine lobsters can live for about 100 years. They have strong claws used for feeding. Spiny Lobster will have a lighter coloration of spots on their tails while. Because of their high value and nutrition, they are often sold fresh. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. But dont assume a lobster hunting out on the open sand is easy pickings. Certain species of spiny lobster is known as sea crayfish or crawfish. Sometimes, diners can opt to order just the tail, where the sweet, tender meat is prized, but to do so is to miss out on the huge chunks of meat found in the claws, and some also in the body. Maine Lobster live in the cold waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean from NewFoundland down to North Carolina. Spiny lobsters tend to be more colorful than their northern counterparts. FWC steps up fight against invasive species. The difference in taste between the spiny lobster and the Maine lobster is significant. King's Seafood Co.mentions that Spiny lobsters are also harvested off the shores of California from October through March. When eating lobster, we usually eat the tail, claws and knuckles, as that is where the meat is located. Even though they lack pincers, i.e., they do not have claws, they have a longer and spiny antenna relative to Maine lobsters. Another Florida-based seafood company, Aifa Seafood, is also under criminal investigation for falsely labeling shark fins it shipped to China. What Size Hooks Should I Use For Rockfish, Magnet Fishing: Everything You Need To Know, Best Image Stabilized Binoculars for Fishing. In addition to prices, COVID has reduced the number of flights between China and the U.S., making shipping the lobsters whole and alive more difficult, Nichols said. The Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, ranges from North Carolina to Brazil. Spiny lobsters are also found off the coast of Florida and California. Instructions. The shell of this type of lobster is usually shiny and has a characteristic color of blue with green. The California spiny lobster is another lobster found on American coastlines, albeit on the west coast as opposed to the east. This is a question only you can answer clearly we prefer the Maine lobster. When the special two-day spiny lobster sport season opens is held each year the last Wednesday and Thursday in July, thousands of scuba divers and snorkelers head to the Florida Keys hoping to bag their limit before the regular season opens in August. The European lobster is larger than crawfishes that live in oceans and hide behind rocks and weeds. Minimum Size Limit: Carapace must be larger than 3", measured in the water. Sportfishinglures.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program, and may earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Are also harvested off the shores of California from October through March,. 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