FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I store lobster in water?

Although lobster comes from saltwater, do not re-store in a bag or bowl of water in the fridge. This will create suffocation, causing death.

How do I store a live lobster?

Live lobsters can be stored up to two days if placed in the coldest part of the refrigerator in the bag it was in at the time of purchase or in an open container. It is best to keep it moist with a damp towel or newspaper. Do not immerse lobsters in water or place on ice in an airtight container as it will suffocate and die. If you keep it at this cold temperature as described above, it will stay in "hibernation state" until ready to cook.

How can you tell when a lobster is cooked?

A lobster is cooked when it is bright red in colour and when the legs and antennae can be pulled-off easily. The tomalley should be green and firm, the roe bright red and the meat white, elastic and opaque.

Why does a lobster turn red when cooked?

The shell color is made up of pigments. When it is cooked, all the pigments are masked except for astaxanthin, which is the red background pigment.

How long does lobster last?

The duration for lobster varies: for live, it will last one to two days (for freshness, it is recommended that you cook live lobsters immediately within 24 hours of purchase). Once lobster is cooked, the meat will last two to three days in the fridge.

What is V-Notching?

V-notching is a fishery management practice used as a conservation method. It consists of marking berried female lobsters by punching a 'V-shaped' notch in the tail of the animal before returning it to sea water. This identifies the lobster as a "proven" broodstock and will protect it next time it is caught, even if the eggs are gone. It is illegal for fishermen to land a berried female lobster.

Source: AVC Lobster Science Centre and Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture

Glossary of Lobster Terms

  • Banding: A strong elastic is placed around the claws of live lobster for safe handling and to preserve quality.
  • Berried Lobster: A female with eggs under her tail. Under Canadian law, these must be returned to the water.
  • Brine: Salt water used to cushion and insulate a whole cooked lobster in a cello sleeve (a "popsicle pack").
  • Canners: A small lobster, weighing approximately 170 to 454 grams (1/2 to 1 lb.)
  • Carapace: Body shell, measured from the back of the eye socket to the end of the shell to determine legal size.
  • Chixs (chickens): Lobster weighing approximately 454 to 500 grams (1.0 to 1 1/8 lb.)
  • Cold pack: Frozen lobster meat, packed in cans, not retorted. Frozen storage is required.
  • Coral: Internal roe or eggs.
  • Crusher: The larger of the two claws.
  • Cull: A lobster with one or no claws, normally sold at a lower price.
  • Deuces: Lobsters weighing 900 to 1135 grams (2 to 2.5 lb.)
  • Halves: Lobster weighing 680 to 800 grams (1.5 to 1.75 lb.)
  • Hard Shell: A lobster whose shell has fully hardened after moulting. Hard-shelled lobsters yield 50 to 60 percent more meat than soft-shell or shedders.
  • Hot Pack: Canned lobster, retorted and shelf stable.
  • Jumbos: Whole lobsters weighing more than 1135 grams (2.5 lb.) Jumbos are graded as small (1135 to 1475 grams or 2.5 to 3.25 lb.), medium (1475 to 2270 grams or 3.25 to 5lb.) and large (2270 grams + or more than 5 lb.)
  • LFA: Lobster Fishing Area; regions in Atlantic Canada where lobster fishing is open at specific times of the year (seasons). The division into LFAs allows control of the harvest. Minimum size of lobsters also varies from area to area.
  • Markets: A size category for lobsters weighing 454 grams and up, usually destined for the live market.
  • Pincher claw: The smaller claw.
  • Popsicle pack: Term used to describe a whole cooked lobster, packed in brine in a cello sleeve and frozen.
  • Pound: A storage area for holding live lobsters.
  • Quarters: Lobster weighing 570 to 680 grams (1.25 to 1.5 lb.)
  • Seasons: Specific periods in the year when a particular area or region can be fished.
  • Selects: Lobster weighing 800 to 900 grams (1.75 to 2.0 lbs.)
  • Shedders: Lobster in the moult or soft-shell stage of growth.
  • Soft Shell: A lobster after it moults or sheds its hard shell to facilitate growth. During this soft-shell period, meat yield is low, and meat texture and flavour poor.
  • Trap: A cage-like structure used to catch lobster alive.
  • Tomalley: Green-coloured liver used to flavour spreads and sauces.

Source: Government of Canada