Scuba Diving club,
Southern California
California
Spiny Lobster
Panulirus interruptus
Spiny Lobster is the general name given to about four dozen species of clawless lobster found in all the tropical and subtropical waters of the world, as well as the temperate seas of the Southern Hemisphere. While the production of American lobster and spiny lobster is similar (annual landings of each average about 80,000 tons), spiny lobsters are a worldwide resource consisting of dozens of species that are caught in commercial quantities. Earlier this year, the Marine Stewardship Council certified the Western Australia Spiny lobster fishery as one of the first ecologically sustainable fisheries.
The California's commercial lobster industry has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. Total commercial landings last season were 951,518 pounds, The seasonal lobster harvest has not reached the 900,000 pounds level since the record harvests of the early 1950s.
Commercial Spiny lobster season opens Wednesday, October 8, and extends to March 17. Southern California lobstermen set traps marked by a colored bouy to mark the owner of the traps. The following
|
Status of the Population: Population size is unknown for the
California spiny lobster (Leet et al. 2001). Commercial landings have
fluctuated through the years and are influenced by some factors that are independent
of the health of the population (such as water temperature, oceanographic
patterns, weather and the export market). The closed season protects
egg-carrying and molting female lobsters. The size limit ensures that there
will be several year classes of broodstock, even if all legal-size lobsters
are caught each season. The escape port has been effective in reducing the
capture and handling of juvenile lobster. The Department has had a commercial
logbook system in place since 1973. Catch effort, the numbers of legal and
short lobsters taken, number of traps fished, and depths where the traps are
fished are required information on the logs. The consistent presence of
lobsters under legal size is generally a good indicator of a healthy fishery
and population (Leet et al. 2001). Home Range/Migratory Patterns: A large portion of the lobster
population makes an annual offshore-onshore migration that is stimulated by
water temperature. During winter months they are found offshore at depths of
50 feet or greater. In late March through May lobsters move into shallow,
warmer on shore waters less than 30 feet. In late October and November
declining water temperatures and storm surge will move the lobsters offshore
again. The spiny lobster is a southern California species with the majority
of the population found in rocky areas between Point Conception and Magdalena
Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Current Regulations: The commercial spiny lobster trap
fishery is restricted access with 246 permittees. The current capacity goal
is 225 trappers. There is an annual lobster lottery for lobster crewmembers
if any new permits are available. The closed season is mid-March through
September, the opening being the first Wednesday in October for commercial
and the first Saturday before that for recreational take.** All traps must be
marked with a buoy bearing a P and the permittee's license number, have
lobster escape ports, and trap destruct devices. Logbooks are required. The
minimum size of lobster is 3 1/4 inches carapace length for both commercial
and sport take. Recreational divers may only use their hands to take
lobsters, and their bag limit is seven a day. Current regulations appear to
be effective at managing the lobster fishery and resource. How MPAs May Help: Reserves could protect the shallow surf
grass beds that are the required nursery areas for juvenile lobster.
Trophy-size lobster of both sexes, which are also the most fecund, are
becoming scarce, and a network of reserves would protect these individuals and
allow them to reproduce. The absence of these large adults also has ecosystem
effects, as they are predators on species like mussels and urchins. Lobster
have extremely long and complex larval stages. It is thought, based on
plankton surveys and ocean currents, that most of the lobster settling in
California are produced in Mexico. Thus it is unclear whether lobster within
MPAs in California would add to the population outside MPAs |
day the traps are pulled, and checked for lobster; then either reset in the same place if the catch was good or moved elsewhere if not.
When alive, the spiny lobster is a beautifully marked crustacean with yellow, orange, green and blue mottling over a predominately rust colored body. They may grow to twenty pounds, but most commonly are between one and five pounds. The California Spiny Lobster lacks the large claws of the Atlantic lobster. It more than makes up for that shortcoming by having a shell covered with sharp spines, large formidable looking antennae, and a powerful tail which can be used in defense or for rapid retreat.
Spiny lobsters must shed their exoskeleton in order to grow. The lobster splits the old shell in half where the main body meets the tail, and crawls out, leaving behind the molted shell in such perfect condition it can easily be mistaken for a live animal. The range is from San Luis Obispo, south to Rosalia Bay, Baja, California.
Most Atlantic caught spiny lobster are frozen raw as tails to be presented as the ubiquitous and flavorless lobster tail. While the California Spiny lobster is nearly always sold fresh, live or cooked. While the market for live spiny lobster grows larger every year, a considerable portion of the California catch is cooked at dockside, iced and shipped fresh to inland fish markets. When buying cooked lobster be sure the tail is pulled tightly up underneath the body, this indicates the lobster was alive when cooked. When buying live lobster, the livelier the better. The lobster should seem heavy for it's size and be sure the shell is hard not spongy. A soft spongy shell is the sign of a lobster which has recently shed it's shell, this type of lobster will have a very low percentage of meat to shell.
Compared to the Maine lobster the spiny lobster is much coarser in texture, but the flavor is exceptionally sweet and delicious. Fast cooking is essential for tender results. Boiling, steaming, deepfrying or charcoal grilling are all recommended.
Live lobster can be split length-wise with a french knife or quickly killed in boiling water before further preparation. Everything except the digestive tract and the feathery gills are edible. Even the green " tomalley" (liver) and the occasionally found red roe can be used to enrich a sauce or butter.
|
Lobster in other Languages Latin: Panulirus argus Portuguese: Lagosta Mandarin: Long-sha French: Langouste German: Langusten Spanish: Langosta Japanese: Ise-ebi Russian: Abiknovenny Italian: Aragosta |
Recipe Chilled Gazpacho with Lobster
(Home) (Boat Dives) (Buddy List) (Campouts) (Diving Links) (Dive Spots & Dive Boats) (Diving Time Line) (Email) (Meetings) (Membership) (Recipes) (Safety & Education) (News Letters AKA Snorkel Talk) (Non Sequitur) (Updates)
Posted October 13, 2003
** Always check with state fish and game to verify season and limits.