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December 8, 2017
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Lucky and Pepsi lobster’s fame makes waves around the world
by Arlene Benham

 

     A couple of unusual lobsters have been caught by Grand Manan fishermen during the first two weeks of the season, quickly becoming famous across Canada and even overseas. First to hit the news locally was "Lucky," a pale blue lobster caught on November 21 by Robinson Russell. He is now sharing a tank at the Harbour Grille and Gift House with a yellowish lobster and a calico whose patterns are reminiscent of the shapes of lichen on rocks. Lucky is nearly translucent underneath, and his pale blue shell has hints of purplish pink, prompting one of the staff to nickname him the "candy floss lobster."
     "I'd like to keep him here as long as I can," says shop owner Bernadine Zwicker. Although she says he hasn't drawn a big crowd yet, she thinks the summer tourists would enjoy seeing him. She's had to ask a few people not to touch him, and a sign has been added to the tank.
     The University of Maine's Lobster Institute and the Maine Lobstermen's Community Alliance both cite statistics on the occurrence of blue lobsters at one in two million, and the former says calicos are one in 30 million. Cynthia Callahan, manager of the Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium in St. Andrews, says that while these statistics are often repeated, their source is unclear. She explains that the rare colors come from mutations that are likely random; it isn't known if the color traits are inherited. Proteins bind to pigments in certain ways to create lobsters' color, and if an abnormality causes a particular protein to not bind, a deficit of the primary colors causes the variations. In contrast, albinism is a recessive gene causing a complete lack of color.
     The aquarium has about 15‑20 colorful lobsters, including red, orange, speckled, calico, green and three blues: a bright blue, a navy and a blue‑green. The most recent addition, an orange lobster donated on November 24 by Terry Harris from Beaver Harbour, will be named after his grandson Noah. Callahan says Russell has also called to offer Lucky. "This is what I really love," she says, "and the point I want to make: how grateful we are that people don't want to sell [these rare lobsters], but they want to keep them alive forever. It's a lovely feeling" to receive the fishermen's donations. She says the aquarium visitors love to see the rainbow of lobsters "all living together. It's a special experience. It spurs discussion." She adds that no one knows for sure how long lobsters live but that animals in aquariums live longer than in the wild, thanks to better food and care and the absence of predators. "I consider them lucky."

The Pepsi lobster
     The second lobster's worldwide fame was spurred by its connection to ocean pollution and debris. On the same day Lucky was caught, Karissa Lindstrand, a lobster bander aboard Honour Bound, realized the blue mark on a lobster's claw was a Pepsi logo. It appeared to be imprinted and could not be scraped off. After she posted a photo on her Facebook page, the story went viral. No one is sure how the mark got there, but some have speculated that a piece of litter may have become embedded in very soft post‑molting tissue.
     Huntsman's Marine Debris Program Coordinator Krista Beardy says, "Based on the photos from the news articles, it appears that this lobster went through some developmental stage while in the presence of consumer debris, boxboard perhaps, and somehow the material containing the logo either was embedded or transferred directly onto the shell of the lobster. It is unclear from the pictures I have seen whether there are other physical impacts to this particular lobster or if the effects are limited to appearance."
     She says that marine debris is a global problem, including in the Bay of Fundy, and because of that, "the amount of debris cannot be accurately quantified on a regional scale. While we often think of marine debris as what is found floating or what washes up on our shorelines, the truth is that visible debris is only an indicator of a much larger problem. Debris can be found in the surface waters, throughout the water column and it can also sink, affecting the benthic sediments," potentially destroying an entire ecosystem.
     She says a 2015 estimate suggests that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the oceans annually, killing over 1.1 million birds, marine mammals and sea turtles. Marine debris can also facilitate the long‑distance dispersion of invasive species. Beyond ecology, there are also economic and social issues, particularly for coastal communities. Breakdown of debris can release toxins, and the small particles can enter the food chain. Large debris can damage fishing vessels and gear -- exacerbating the original problem -- and tourism opportunities may be lost because of coastline debris. The Marine Debris Program -- primarily supported by the nonprofit Huntsman Marine Science Centre -- aims to study, prevent and remove debris from any source in the Bay of Fundy and to inspire environmental stewardship.
     Lindstrand's Pepsi lobster was sold along with the rest of the day's haul and is likely in the U.S. by now. Grand Manan's Lucky "is being well taken care of," Callahan says. He and his tankmates are eating well. What is Zwicker feeding him? "My best haddock, that I feed my customers," she laughs. "It's the best haddock loin you can get. I'm not sure who's eating it, but it's usually gone in the morning."
     Neither Russell nor Lindstrand could be reached for comment. The Huntsman Aquarium appreciates offers of unusual lobsters and may be contacted at (506) 529‑1200. For more information about the aquarium and marine programs, visit <www.huntsmanmarine.ca>.

 

 

 

 

 

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