Lobsters are marine crustaceans that inhabit various ocean environments, from shallow coastal waters to deeper offshore regions. They play a role in the intricate marine food web, serving as both predators and prey. While their hard exoskeletons offer some defense, lobsters are a food source for a variety of animals throughout their life stages.
Natural Predators in the Ocean
Many marine animals prey on lobsters, especially during their more vulnerable stages. Large bottom-dwelling fish, such as cod, haddock, flounder, sculpin, wolffish, ocean pout, and monkfish, actively hunt lobsters. Eels and dogfish also consume lobsters, particularly smaller individuals. These fish use their powerful jaws and teeth to break through the lobster’s protective shell.
Several shark species include lobsters in their diet, often as opportunistic feeders. Nurse sharks, smooth dogfish, and certain bottom-dwelling sharks like deepsea cat sharks and houndsharks are known to eat lobsters. Larger sharks, such as tiger sharks, thresher sharks, and even younger great white sharks, also prey on lobsters.
Marine mammals like seals also prey on lobsters. Other invertebrates also pose a threat, with octopuses being particularly skilled predators that can even enter lobster traps to consume their prey. Various crab species, from smaller spider crabs to larger king crabs, will also target lobsters, especially juveniles.
Lobsters themselves can exhibit cannibalistic behavior, particularly in crowded conditions or when other food sources are scarce. Larger lobsters may prey on smaller or more vulnerable individuals, especially with factors like warmer water temperatures and a reduction in their natural fish predators.
Lobsters are most vulnerable during their larval and juvenile stages, and immediately after molting. Larval lobsters float near the water’s surface, making them easy targets for seabirds and various fish. As juveniles, they are smaller and weaker, often seeking refuge in crevices and burrows to avoid predators. The molting process, where lobsters shed their hard outer shell to grow, leaves them with a soft, unprotected new shell for days to weeks, making them highly susceptible to predation by many marine species.
Human Consumption and Impact
While not a biological predator, humans represent a significant consumer of lobsters on a global scale. Commercial lobster fishing has a long history, with early operations beginning in the 1800s along the coast of Maine, USA. Initially considered a common and cheap food source, lobsters later gained popularity and became a sought-after delicacy. The industry has grown substantially, generating billions of dollars in revenue annually and supporting numerous coastal economies.
Lobsters are primarily caught using baited traps, also known as lobster pots. These traps are lowered to the ocean floor and marked by buoys for retrieval. Fishermen typically bait the traps with fish, such as herring, and then haul them up every few days to check for lobsters. While traps are the predominant method, historically, lobsters were also caught by spearing or using nets.
The harvesting of lobsters holds considerable economic and cultural significance for many human populations. It provides livelihoods for thousands of fishermen, as well as jobs in seafood processing plants, restaurants, and tourism sectors. In regions like New England and Canada’s Atlantic provinces, lobster fishing is intertwined with the cultural heritage of coastal communities. The demand for lobster dishes drives tourism and contributes substantially to local economies.