Publisher's Synopsis
Lobster farming, also known as lobster aquaculture or lobster mariculture, is the process of raising lobsters for food production and conservation purposes in artificial environments like tanks or ocean enclosures. In this type of aquaculture, lobsters are raised from the time they hatch in captivity until they are large enough to be sold.
Lobster farming has primarily these goals in mind:
1. Lobster farming is an example of sustainable seafood production since it helps meet customer demand without overfishing wild lobster populations.
2. Lobster farming has the potential to improve environmental and sustainability outcomes by reducing the pressure exerted on wild lobster populations as a result of harvesting.
3. There are conservation and stock enhancement projects that use farmed lobsters to replenish or expand wild lobster populations.
Hatcheries are used to raise lobster larvae through their many stages, and then the larvae are transferred to grow-out facilities, which can be either land-based tanks or sea-based cages, for final development. These lobsters are fed and cared for until they reach marketable size. Methods and procedures can change based on the type of lobster being farmed and the climate of the area.
The overfishing of wild lobster populations and their susceptibility to environmental changes are also issues that can be mitigated with the help of lobster cultivation. However, it also raises ethical questions with the treatment of farmed lobsters and other problems with disease management and water quality. A lobster farm may be quite an investment financially and in terms of infrastructure.
As a whole, lobster farming is thought to be a viable option for satisfying consumer demand and helping to ensure the long-term survival of this key seafood resource
