Loads of Soft Shell Lobster Are On The Way

Weathervane’s resident seafood expert Jim Collins has been keeping a close eye on the lobster catch count throughout the state this spring and if all goes as rumored, he expects lovers of the colorful crustacean should have plenty of soft shell lobsters on their plates by the beginning of July.

As the longtime director of procurement at Weathervane, Collins said he’s been listening to fishermen up and down the Maine coast about when they expect the soft shell lobster season to really ramp up. Until then, lobster lovers will have to endure a little bit of downtime.

“Today, we’re very near that window where landings will begin to dry up,” he said. “You’ll start to see that in different areas of the state.”

The lack of lobster is to be expected however. Collins said the lag in landings comes about because lobsters are migrating close to shore and have begun hiding in an effort to begin the molting process. If you’re unfamiliar with this process, molting is when a lobster sheds its hard shell in an effort to account for its growth. To learn even more about lobster check out this post. So, as lobsters shed their shells, fishermen will likely be left in a lurch. The slow down won’t last forever though.

“After the process, once the shells recover enough, you’ll usually start to see the onslaught of lobster,” said Collins.

Soft shell lobsters, also called “shedders” by those in the industry, traditionally begin to come out of hiding in the Southern Maine region and start feeding a little bit before the fourth of July. Collins said, this year, fishermen expect the surge in shedders to come a few days after the fourth.

While it’s too early to tell, Collins said he’s hopeful this season ends up being like the last couple of lobster seasons.

“We’re coming off pretty two extraordinarily good years in a row,” he said.

The following are the number of lobster landings as recorded by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:

2010 — Pounds: 96 Million/Value: $318 Million/Avg price per lb: $3.31
2011 — Pounds: 104 Million/Value: $334 Million/Avg price per lb: $3.19
2012 — Pounds: 127 Million/Value: $342 Million/Avg price per lb: $2.69
2013 — Pounds: 127 Million/Value: $370 Million/Avg price per lb: $2.90
*2014 — Pounds: 123 Million/Value: $456 Million/Avg price per lb: $3.69

(*= preliminary findings)

As landings begin to climb year after year, Collins said so does the market value—which he said is good both for fishermen in terms of the money they’re making, as well as for consumers in terms of the price they pay and the quantity and quality of resources available.

All of this means one important thing for Weathervane guests. As the amount of lobster landings continue to climb, guests can depend on having a robust array of menu options to choose from throughout the season. Stop by one of our many locations in Maine and New Hampshire and get your fill today!