Frequently Asked Questions about our lobsters.

Where do you catch your lobsters?
Most of Water Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound’s catch comes from the cold waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait. Lobsters mainly live in shallow water, and as they grow, they move toward the deeper water. We catch the majority of our lobsters within a few miles of shore and most come from the shores immediately surrounding Prince Edward Island, Canada.

What's the difference between warm-water and cold-water lobsters?
The warm-water lobsters are the spiny or rock lobsters found in Florida, the Caribbean and southern California. The true lobster or the North American lobster can be found in the colder waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. The major difference is that the true lobster has large claws full of meat whereas the spiny lobster does not. Meat can only be extracted from the spiny lobster's tail.

Is there any difference in taste between male and female lobsters?
Except for minor physiological differences, the male and female lobster are very much the same. The female lobsters may sometimes have roe (eggs) inside the body cavity, which turn bright red upon cooking. Restaurant chefs occasionally request female lobsters from us for the roe to be used in presentation.

What is the largest lobster The Water Prince Lobster Pound has ever shipped?
The largest lobster we ever shipped was 20" to 24" long and approximately 17 pounds. It was caught here in P.E.I. (where oversized restrictions aren't in place). Picture the width of a kid's lunchbox - which was about the width of that lobster. Larger lobsters can be shipped but the trip is very strenuous on larger, older lobsters.

Do you ever catch blue lobsters?
Blue lobsters are rare, as the pigments in their shells are genetic defects. Most lobsters are greenish-brown in color, but we've seen blue, bright red (almost the same color as cooked) and even part-white lobsters.

Do lobsters feel pain?
Like all arthropods, the nervous system of a lobster is very primitive, and contains far fewer nerve cells than our nervous systems. The nerve cells are grouped in clusters called ganglia. Further, a lobster has no cerebral cortex, the area of the human brain that gives the perception of pain.

How long can a lobster survive out of water?
Lobsters have special gills that allow them to survive out of water. If they are kept cool and damp, lobsters could probably survive out of water up to a week - but we wouldn't recommend eating them!

Are lobsters low in cholesterol?
Yes. In 1990, The National Institutes of Health tested lobster for cholesterol content and found that it was just as low in cholesterol, fat and calories as chicken and turkey. (Just watch out for the drawn butter!)

3.5 ounce portion

*Courtesy of the Maine Lobster Council

Should I eat the green stuff?
Though the tomalley (the light green substance found in the lobster's body) is a delicacy for some. Some advise against eating it. The tomalley is the liver and pancreas of the lobster and may small amounts of contaminants absorbed occasionally from the environment.

 FAQ’s adapted from http://www.atwoodlobster.com/