The National Lobster Hatchery released 50 juvenile lobsters into a rock pool at Trevone Bay, Cornwall, as part of its regular summer release program. Each juvenile, barely a couple of centimetres long, had been nurtured through the perilous first weeks of life. Upon release, one lobster hesitated at the edge of the plastic pot before flicking its tail and disappearing among tangles of seaweed.
Survival odds dramatically improved
Since its founding in 2000, the charity has released hundreds of thousands of juvenile lobsters around the coasts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Female lobsters carrying eggs are caught by specially licensed fishers and brought to the hatchery in Padstow, where the vulnerable planktonic larvae are reared in tanks until sufficiently developed. According to the hatchery, the odds of survival for these juveniles are 1,000 times greater than if they had been born in the wild.
Threats to wild lobster stocks
While fishing for lobsters is regulated to prevent the landing of breeding females and undersized adults, a new threat has emerged over the last two summers, particularly around the south-west. With warming sea temperatures, booming numbers of common octopus, which share a taste for lobsters, have begun to raid lobster pots. The thumbnail-sized juvenile released had thin, translucent limbs and a pale orange-yellow body, looking fragile compared to a fully grown lobster with nutcracker claws.
Charlie Elder, who documented the release, noted that the juvenile faced innumerable challenges ahead but now has a fighting chance thanks to the hatchery team's efforts. The release aims to supplement wild populations of European lobster and support sustainable local fisheries.
