'Larry' the 110-year-old lobster headed to Maine
Brooke Estren
A 'centenarian' lobster called 'Larry' is heading from Florida to Maine, where he can live 'the way life should be.'
A 15-pound lobster sold to a South Florida restaurant will be spared from the lobster pot — and sent to Maine.
The Miami Herald reported Wednesday that “Larry” had been shipped by FedEx at a cost of $300 to West Boothbay Harbor, where he will be housed at the Maine State Aquarium. He’s already become something of a celebrity, with Florida stations and then ABC News posting stories.
After a TV station’s Facebook posting drew attention, Joe Melluso, owner of the Tin Fish Restaurant in Sunrise, agreed to work with iRescue Wildlife Inc. and the University of Maryland’s Council on the Environment to determine the right course of action. Brooke Estren, who was involved in the effort, told Mainebiz the hope was to keep Larry “off the supper table.”
“At first, when I heard there were organizations involved, I was like, ‘Ah, that’s so silly,’” Melluso told the Herald. “Then, I was like, ‘They’re looking to protect and serve the species in a responsible way. I should be thinking like that.’ ”
The lobster is estimated to be 110-years-old.
It’s not clear where the lobster was harvested. Parts of Canada allow for a catch of that size.
The lobster’s size far exceeds Maine’s catch limits, meaning it could not have been legally harvested here. But it could have been legally sold through a wholesaler, said Annie Tselikis, executive director of the Maine Lobster Dealers’ Association.
“We move large lobsters all the time,” she said, though eight- to 10 pounds is more common.
Lobsters of that size are a routinely sold through Maine wholesalers, she added. She said Asian markets are eager to buy larger lobsters, as are U.S. supermarket chains with a significant Asian-American customer base.
As for Larry, Jeff Nichols of the Maine Department of Marine Resources told Mainebiz by email Thursday afternoon that long-term plans for the lobster had not been determined.
“The aquarium hasn’t received the lobster yet,” Nichols wrote. “If it does arrive at the aquarium, and is in good health, aquarium staff will quarantine it to protect the health of other marine life on display and will assess its health. [There are] no plans at this time beyond that.”
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