Giving lobster the ‘v’ s

The Lobster creels are groaning with Lobsters, Homarus gammarus, today. Not all of them are regulation size, so Stewart measures them carefully and sends the small ones seven fathoms deep to grow.

Lobster - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Occasionally there’s a berried female. This one is laden with eggs and will hopefully produce the next healthy generation of Lobsters along the Westray coast. Just click to enlarge and see them.

Lobster berries - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It’s important that females get to breed. Lobsters need a healthy population of adults of breeding age and so do the creel fishers. Females have a harmless ‘v’ notch cut into their tails by the creel fishers to show they’re breeding females and need to be safeguarded and preserved.

Lobster - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The ‘v’ notch will last for two moults which could be two or three years. During that time she will produce the next generation. The ‘v’ spoils the lobster from being landed. It’s an act of long-term self-preservation.

Stewart’s pleased with his catch and so lets me take one of his large, regulation-size lobsters. That’s one which won’t be going to France or Spain, it’s coming home with me.

Look away now if you don’t like the thought of Lobster being eaten..

Lobster - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I’ve not prepared a lobster before. Maybe that shows in my presentation, served here with a slice of bere bannock.

Lobster and Bere Bannock The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

But presentation doesn’t show in the taste. It is delicious.

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