Rare lobster found

We’re not gonna sell it. We’re not gonna cook it. We want to preserve it.

CEO Mark Murrell, Get Maine Lobster, on a rare one-in-100 million “cotton candy” lobster caught by a local fisherman.

• Why It Matters: Lobster can come in a rainbow of colors, from typical brownish-red, to blue, yellow, orange, calico, or white (or the slightly iridescent “cotton candy”). While scientists say no firm stats exist on rarity of the colors, the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance says the chances of a white or cotton candy lobster are 1 in 100 million.
• “Get Maine Lobster” (a direct-to-consumer seafood company from Maine) says they want to donate this rare lobster to an aquarium for safe keeping.
• The fisherman who caught the lobster has been fishing for 4 decades and says he’s never seen a lobster like this. He named it “Haddie” after his granddaughter.
• What Makes It “Cotton Candy”? The pigment in the lobster’s shell can uniquely bind to certain proteins, creating a different hue. Pale lobsters likely don’t have enough pigment – either due to a genetic mutation or from their food source. READ MORE

Rare ‘Cotton Candy’ Lobster Found Off Maine in 1 in 100 Million Catch

Check out different lobster colors HERE from the Maine Lobsterman’s Community Alliance.

Watch video of Haddie!