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Jesse Joe · 10-07-2008, 08:46 AM

Rare yellow lobster caught

Published Tuesday October 7th, 2008

Genetic defects sometimes cause lobsters to develop different coloured shells

BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

A yellow lobster pulled from the chilly waters of the Northumberland Strait over the weekend is definitely very rare and a "curiosity of nature," a lobster specialist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said yesterday.

photo contributed

Danny Knockwood displays a yellow lobster beside a normal coloured one. Danny pulled this crustacean from the waters off Richibucto Village.

"It's definitely rare, about one in 10 million that you see one like that," DFO scientist Marc Lanteigne of Moncton said after reviewing photos and video of the lobster, which was brought to the surface by fisherman Danny Knockwood of the Elsipogtog First Nation on Sunday. "It's strange but really not that unusual."
Last year, a pair of fishermen from Harpswell, Maine, made headlines when they found a couple of similar-looking yellow lobsters. Similar finds have been reported in New Hampshire.
Knockwood said he found the rare yellow lobster in one of the traps brought to the surface near Richibuctou Village on Sunday.
"We were taking our traps out at the end of the season. It's been pretty rough out there. And it was calm on Sunday so we went out to pick up the traps."
When he first pulled the yellow lobster out of the trap, he thought it was dead so they threw it in with the others. It wasn't until they got back to shore that they had a chance to examine it more closely."
Lobsters are normally a dark green colour with yellow spots, but this one was more of a greenish yellow with green-black claws. Lobsters are sometimes found to be blue, red and bright orange.
Its underbelly was yellow to white. Knockwood took photos and video of the lobster and posted a video of it on YouTube.
After examining the photo and video, Lanteigne confirmed it as a so-called "calico lobster" which has developed a different colour in its shell due to a genetic defect. He said it was likely a female lobster about nine or 10 years old and described as a canner size.
Knockwood said he isn't sure what he will do with the yellow lobster, but for now they have named it Autumn.
"Maybe we'll donate it to science so everybody can see it."
The Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island has been a valuable lobster fishing ground for decades.
Lanteigne said surveys indicate catches have improved this year after a slump in recent seasons, thanks to an influx of smaller lobsters.
He said scientists aren't sure what caused the peak in the mid-1980s but they believe it is linked to weather patterns, when winds forced the smaller larvae into shallower waters closer to shore where they stood a better chance of survival.

10-07-2008, 08:46 AM	#1
Jesse Joe Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 6,862	Rare yellow lobster caught ! Rare yellow lobster caught Published Tuesday October 7th, 2008 Genetic defects sometimes cause lobsters to develop different coloured shells BY ALAN COCHRANE TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF A yellow lobster pulled from the chilly waters of the Northumberland Strait over the weekend is definitely very rare and a "curiosity of nature," a lobster specialist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said yesterday. photo contributed Danny Knockwood displays a yellow lobster beside a normal coloured one. Danny pulled this crustacean from the waters off Richibucto Village. "It's definitely rare, about one in 10 million that you see one like that," DFO scientist Marc Lanteigne of Moncton said after reviewing photos and video of the lobster, which was brought to the surface by fisherman Danny Knockwood of the Elsipogtog First Nation on Sunday. "It's strange but really not that unusual." Last year, a pair of fishermen from Harpswell, Maine, made headlines when they found a couple of similar-looking yellow lobsters. Similar finds have been reported in New Hampshire. Knockwood said he found the rare yellow lobster in one of the traps brought to the surface near Richibuctou Village on Sunday. "We were taking our traps out at the end of the season. It's been pretty rough out there. And it was calm on Sunday so we went out to pick up the traps." When he first pulled the yellow lobster out of the trap, he thought it was dead so they threw it in with the others. It wasn't until they got back to shore that they had a chance to examine it more closely." Lobsters are normally a dark green colour with yellow spots, but this one was more of a greenish yellow with green-black claws. Lobsters are sometimes found to be blue, red and bright orange. Its underbelly was yellow to white. Knockwood took photos and video of the lobster and posted a video of it on YouTube. After examining the photo and video, Lanteigne confirmed it as a so-called "calico lobster" which has developed a different colour in its shell due to a genetic defect. He said it was likely a female lobster about nine or 10 years old and described as a canner size. Knockwood said he isn't sure what he will do with the yellow lobster, but for now they have named it Autumn. "Maybe we'll donate it to science so everybody can see it." The Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island has been a valuable lobster fishing ground for decades. Lanteigne said surveys indicate catches have improved this year after a slump in recent seasons, thanks to an influx of smaller lobsters. He said scientists aren't sure what caused the peak in the mid-1980s but they believe it is linked to weather patterns, when winds forced the smaller larvae into shallower waters closer to shore where they stood a better chance of survival. Last edited by Jesse Joe; 10-07-2008 at 08:56 AM.