Saphire Crustaceans: Are Blue Lobsters Rare?

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Lobsters are fascinating creatures, with around 150 million tons of lobster being caught every year they are in popular demand.

With the typical lobster being a greeny-brown color, it may come as a surprise to some that they actually come in a variety of colors, some being incredibly rare.

But what about the blue lobster? Are blue lobsters rare?

In a nutshell, yes blue lobsters are rare. However out of all the rare lobsters that live in our ocean, blue is the most common.

Let’s take a closer look…

Are Blue Lobsters Actually Rare?

Blue lobsters occur roughly 1 in every 2 million lobsters, making them much rarer than their Orange cousins.

They are caught by fishermen in the US state of Maine about once every year or two, making them a rare occurrence that is a delightful catch.

These brightly colored crustaceans are very rare, and often lobster fishermen who spend their whole lives fishing them do not come across a blue lobster.

There are around 150 – 200 million tons of lobster caught every year in the North Atlantic and with the odds of one in 2 million, that equates to around 100 blue lobsters being pulled out each year.

Why Are Blue Lobsters Rare?

But what makes blue lobsters so rare?

Well, the bright blue coloring is caused by a genetic mutation that produces an overproduction of astaxanthin-wrapping proteins.

These particular proteins turn all of the red astaxanthin into blue crustacyanin.

Blue lobsters are also much more likely to be picked up by a predator because of their color. A bright-blue lobster looks much more obvious than the typical brown.

This shortens the lobster’s life expectancy when in the wild, making them rare to catch, let alone see.

What Is The Rarest Color Of Lobster?

The blue lobster isn’t the only color abnormality in lobsters, there are many more.

For example, the yellow lobster has a rarity of around 1 in 30 million. Two yellow lobsters were found in 2017.

One of which was caught by lobstermen Bill Porter and donated to the New England Aquarium, whilst the other slipped through unnoticed and almost ended up on somebody’s plate

However, the restaurant decided not to cook the lobster and named her Ruby instead, they put her on display in their own tank.

There are two lobsters that are considered ultra-rare in the lobster world. This is the “Cotton Candy Lobster” and the “White or Albino Lobster”.

These both have a rarity of around 1 in 100 million and are the rarest lobsters in the world. These lobsters only pop up every once in 5 years or so, making them extra special when they do appear.

How Much Is A Blue Lobster Worth?

Contrary to what some people believe, blue lobsters are perfectly suitable for consumption.

The price of the blue lobster is hard to say, but there have been eBay listings for up to $500 for a single blue lobster.

That said, the listing did not attract a single bid, so I guess they are worth as much as somebody is willing to pay, certainly more than a regular lobster that’s for sure.

One restaurant named “Per Se” did feature blue lobster on its menu alongside its Wagyu menu, the lobster was priced at $560.

How Many Blue Lobsters Are In The World?

It’s hard to put a number on how many blue lobsters there are in the world it’s impossible to know.

However, given that these lobsters are a 1 in 2 million find, it’s safe to say that there will be many blue lobsters at the bottom of our oceans.

The 1 in 2 million statistics is for catching blue lobsters, so who knows how many are roaming freely at the bottom of the ocean.

Final Thoughts

So, are blue lobsters rare? Absolutely. They are seen roughly every 1 in 2 million lobsters.

This beautiful lobster is seriously impressive and so rare that many lobster fishermen go their whole lifetimes without ever seeing one.

If you do happen to somehow come across a blue lobster, treasure that moment as it’s probably the only one you’ll ever see.

Blue lobsters are not the only rare lobster, with many others such as yellow, white, and calico also being incredibly rare.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and I hope you’ve learned something new today about the wonderful world of lobsters.

If you have found this post helpful, feel free to stick around and learn more about marine wildlife.