Harvesting and Transport

Harvesting of lobsters from indoor grow-out system involves draining out water and picking up commercially grown lobsters. The lobsters (70-80g) attain marketable size (>250 g) over a period of five months. The harvested lobsters can be marketed either in whole cooked form or in live condition. For whole cooking, live lobsters are dipped in chilled water for few minutes until they die and then immersed in boiling water containing acetic and citric acid for few minutes. After cooking they are kept in chilled water and then cleaned, packed and blast frozen.

For live lobster transport, they are immobilized in chilled water for few minutes and then packed. For short term transportation to holding centers moist beach sand can be used. For long-term transport, the lobsters have to be packed in thermocol boxes as depicted in the illustration below.

Lobsters before and after fattening

Weighing lobsters

Preparing thermacole boxes

Lobster given cool dip

Wrapping lobsters in wet newspaper

Packing lobsters individually

Sealed boxes ready for transport

(Source: NIOT, 2004)