This orange lobster might not look that rare — but it’s 1 in 30 million
Last week, a rare discovery was made by fishmonger Yvon Jalbert at Les Pêcheries Gaspésiennes de Rivière-au-Renard in Gaspé, Que. In his 40-year career, Jalbert had never seen an orange lobster until now. The crustacean caught in the trap may not look drastically different to the untrained eye, resembling the color of a cooked lobster. However, this lobster is one in 30 million, even rarer than blue lobsters, according to Mathieu Lemonde-Landry, caretaker of the living collection at the Exploramer museum in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.
Normal lobsters typically have a reddish-brown color with hints of blue and yellow near their joints due to red and blue pigments. Lemonde-Landry explains that the orange-yellow lobster is unique because it only produces one type of pigment cage with a specific number of layers. In contrast, normal lobsters have a mix of pigmented layers for camouflage in their habitat. Despite being aggressive creatures with territorial tendencies, lobsters have few predators in the ocean.
Once cooked, lobsters of any color will turn red. The orange lobster found by Jalbert’s team has sparked interest from the Exploramer museum, where uniquely colored lobsters are housed. While some fish markets use rare lobsters as publicity stunts before releasing them back into the wild, Les Pêcheries Gaspésiennes de Rivière-au-Renard plans to keep the orange lobster alive for display during fishing season. Eventually, the lobster may be transferred to a local aquarium or returned to the ocean.
The discovery of this rare orange lobster has captivated both the fishing industry and marine enthusiasts, showcasing the beauty and diversity of marine life in Quebec’s Gaspé peninsula. With its vibrant hue and extraordinary rarity, this lobster serves as a reminder of the wonders that lie beneath the ocean’s surface.
