132-Year-Old Lobster Gets a New Lease on Life

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For 20 years, Louie the lobster lived a solitary life in a tank at a New York seafood restaurant. After so many years, Louie was practically part of the crew. However, when a customer offered the owner $1,000 for the 132-year-old crustacean’s life, the owner knew what he had to do.

After receiving a well-deserved pardon from the town supervisor, Louie was released back into the Atlantic, where he is hopefully still living today. If you’re wondering whether lobsters really do live as long as Louie, keep reading to find out more about the life and lifespan of the American lobster.

Lobster Habitats

Louie may have spent the best years of his life hanging out in a clam bar, but most lobsters live in the Atlantic Ocean. The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is primarily found on the Atlantic coast from Maine to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. The coastal waters of Maine down to New Jersey typically have the largest populations.

Lobsters usually live on the ocean floor. They prefer hard mud where they can burrow or rocky surfaces where they can find crevices to hide in. They can be found in shallow waters along the coast or offshore at depths over 2,000 feet.

The Lobster Lifespan

Scientists have yet to find a method to determine a lobster’s exact age. However, researchers can estimate based on what is known about a lobster’s body size at a specific age. On average, American lobsters are estimated to live between 50-60 years. However, as Louie has shown, some individuals have been recorded living over 100 years.

Unfortunately, experts believe rising water temperatures have severely impacted lobsters’ longevity and survival. Water over 68 degrees quickly becomes stressful on their bodies. Prolonged exposure not only causes respiratory issues but also weakens their immune systems. This makes lobsters more susceptible to shell disease and parasites.

How Big Do Lobsters Get?

Lobsters continue to grow throughout their lives. However, they must molt to grow. This requires shedding their shells when they outgrow them and forming new shells. They often eat their own shells to replace the calcium they need to harden the new shell. Molting may occur up to 25 times in the first 5-8 years of life. When a lobster reaches adulthood, males molt about once a year, while females molt every two years. Experts believe lobsters increase in length by 15% and weight by 40% with each molt.

The largest lobster on record was 3 feet 6 inches long and weighed 44 pounds and 6 ounces. However, they are typically around 8-24 inches in length and weigh between 1-9 pounds. Most lobsters sold to consumers are only about 1-2 pounds. It’s true that Louie was around 22 pounds, but such large individuals are rarely found today due to overfishing and environmental conditions.

Do Older Lobsters Taste Different?

Expert opinion would suggest that older, larger lobsters may have tougher meat. They tend to have thicker muscle fiber that could make the meat chewy and rubbery. However, opinions differ on the flavor. Some say the flavor is more intense, while others believe it is less pronounced.

Younger, smaller lobster meat is said to be more tender due to the smaller muscle fibers. It may also be a little sweeter. Regardless of the age of the lobster, it’s important to pay attention to cooking times so you can adjust for the size of the lobster. An older, larger lobster may only be tougher due to overcooking and not because of any inherent differences.